


The Rule of Two - A Star Wars Rewrite (Book 2)

by Vanemis



Series: A Star Wars Sequel Rewrite [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Force-Sensitive Armitage Hux, Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), Fusion of Star Wars Legends and Disney Canon, Rey is a Kenobi (Star Wars), star wars legends - Freeform, trans!hux
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:42:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 84,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27383638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanemis/pseuds/Vanemis
Summary: Finn has joined the Dark side, to be trained by Kylo Ren and the Knights until he can call himself a formidable Sith. In the meantime, Rey searches for her family on Tatooine and Poe is desperate to learn the secrets of that strange device.
Series: A Star Wars Sequel Rewrite [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883743
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second novel (of currently four completed books) in a long saga which will conclude and wrap up as many storylines as possible. While parts of canon have been borrowed, don't expect the stories to follow the same paths as the films. Legends have greatly been used as well but vast knowledge isn't needed to enjoy this. There are also no ships or sexual content in these stories. Anything like that will be posted separately.
> 
> Tags will be kept to a minimum for a spoiler-free experience but any violence is the same as you might expect from usual SW sources.

** STAR WARS **

** Episode VIII – The Rule of Two **

The Republic is destroyed and the Resistance has been forced into hiding. Fuelled by desperation,  General Leia Organa sends out the only survivor of the Starkiller Massacre in the hopes of defeating the tyrannical First Order.

Betrayed by the Jedi and the  Sith , Rey KENOBI abandons the RESISTANCE and searches the galaxy for her family. 

With the rebel forces vanquished, Supreme Leader  Kylo Ren begins to train his new Sith Apprentice....

** Chapter 1 **

Talok was unlike any other place. Its long-gone civilisation had left behind ruins reclaimed by nature over millennia. The planet orbited a lone sun, the last of its kind, and the nearest inhabited worlds were far out of reach. The isolation had allowed the  Sith of old to claim its forgotten land and build temples sheltered by tropical forests and jagged cliffs that dropped into crystalline waters. Over time, as the Sith reduced in numbers, the knowledge of  Talok’s location was lost to most. Not all, but most.

Until it had been found again, and mechanical life brought back into the decrepit halls. A planetary shield was built as a large ring around the planet. The last remaining Sith temple was left mostly intact but a support system had been built around it to house any guests. Its heart was ancient while its walls and power were modernised to the appropriate standards of the residing  Sith Master, Snoke. 

After his death, the temple was changed once again. Flags of the First Order were taken down and access to the dead Sith’s trophies was finally given to Talok’s new owner, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.

Though intended to be a place of self-reflection and a well from which to draw the power of the Force, Talok turned into a prison for one man. A deserter stormtrooper who had made the pivotal decision to run and save himself from a life of white armour and gunfire. He could not fly the few ships docked in the main courtyard outside the temple or reach out to the stars for help, because no one was left to answer him. 

The First Order had declared a war and won it within a matter of moments. The Senate was obliterated in a blink, along with the galaxy’s warmongers who claimed the  Hosnian System as their home. Nothing survived and the only trace of its existence was the dust and ashes floating in the gravitational pull of the supernova. Within a week, the unstoppable army had defeated  all of the rapidly assembled blockades around the  Core and taken Coruscant as their galactic seat- though many more wars waged beyond the Core.

All of which Finn, the prisoner of  Talok , knew from various transmissions he overheard around the surprisingly busy temple. He wasn’t alone on  Talok despite what his heart told him.

The Knights of Ren had been given full access to anything they desired, though most days, Finn found them lounging around without fear of being reprimanded. He caught on to the realisation that  Snoke had not allowed such leniency and the Knights were making the most out of their sudden change in leadership. They were far more casual with passing information between them, shared over dinner and drinks- nothing Finn found himself comfortable joining yet.

The young man had preferred to stay in the safety of his room. No one judged him for his shyness. In fact, most of the Knights were asleep or drunk by the time he snuck into the well-stocked kitchen for a bite. He was unintentionally losing weight fast this way, though his mood was not making anything seem appetising.

Perhaps that was why one morning, some days after Finn had woken up on  Talok ,  Kylo Ren led him towards a training hall. Another modern section of the base, with dark walls and tech in every direction. Target dummies, rebooted droids with kill protocols, even a simulation chamber where he could pick which battle to fight. Finn stayed far from that, he’d seen enough simulations and real battles for an entire lifetime.

He didn’t expect to be given a  lightsaber . Or even a blaster. But could he even consider this a real weapon? Finn glanced down at the metal bar  Kylo held out to him with uncertainty. It was just a pole, probably taken from a construction zone or snuck out of a scrap dealer’s stash- utterly unremarkable. He weighed it and found a comfortable place to grab it at the lower end. He held it like a sword. From  Kylo’s barely hidden chuckle, Finn was holding it wrong but he didn’t care. He looked up in confusion.

“If I have to prove I can make things float,” Finn began with a sigh, “I already covered that part.”

The  Sith gestured at the target dummies nearby. “I want you to fight one.”

“Fight- Okay, yeah sure.” Finn walked up to the nearest one, an inconspicuous metal ball sitting innocently on the floor. He kicked it with the toe of his boot and the ball beeped and began floating in the air. “Whoa, okay. Can’t be that difficult. You’re just a ball.”

He took a step back and swung the bar at the droid ball. It dodged to the side and Finn swore its little black optic was staring back smugly. With a huff, he swung again and missed.

“Could you stay still please?”

Behind him,  Kylo took off his cloak and threw it in a pile on the ground. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms as he wandered over to a repurposed Magna-Guard. Finn barely noticed him, too busy swinging like a madman at the irritating ball. It was definitely mocking him now. Every swing was useless. 

“Hey, umm, Lord Ren? Sir? Can I use the Force? Is that allowed?” 

When Finn didn’t get an immediate answer, he turned to find the  Sith clashing his  saber against the Magna-Guard’s weapon. It held a long staff that the  saber could not cut through, and its ends were sparking with purple electricity. Despite the droid’s programmed ferocity,  Kylo managed to give it a hard time, though the longer Finn stared, the more he realised  Kylo was on the defensive. 

The  Sith’s wounds weren’t fully healed and although he moved with grace, there was a pained look on his face each time his arms raised up to block. With half his face still covered beneath  bacta strips, his vision was heavily limited. Finn was about to ask if he was alright when  Kylo Force-pushed the droid back and disabled it. The  Sith glanced away from it with a flash of aggression that quickly vanished. 

“Did you say something to me?” He asked, turning off the  saber and clipping it to his belt. “I tend to block people out when I train. My apologies.”

Finn waved his hand. “It’s alright, I was just asking if I could use the Force on this thing? I can’t hit it.”

“Of course. Improvise and adapt, Finn. You need to use everything you have to your advantage.”

“Right...”

Kylo came closer and sat down cross-legged with a hiss. His hand cupped his side tentatively. “Show me.”

Finn tightened his grip and watched the hovering droid before swinging straight down at it.  Kylo chuckled when it quickly averted to the side.

“I thought stormtroopers were proficient fighters,” he mocked lightly. “Brute strength won’t get you anywhere. All you’ll do is tire yourself out. If you swing it around like an idiot, sooner or later, you’ll give the enemy an opening.”

“Could’ve told me before,” Finn mumbled.

“If I gave you step by step instructions, you’d never have an original idea. Try again.”  Kylo leaned back on his hands, exhaling sharply as he stretched. “It’s a smart machine. Prove to me you’re smarter.”

Finn took a deep breath and glared at the droid. He raised the bar again and swung it down, and as the droid swerved to the side, Finn followed it with the bar and smacked its side. 

“Ha, take that!” 

From one of its panels, the droid stuck out a probe and shocked Finn. When he swung again, he hit it harder as punishment. Part of its side crumpled inwards and several angry-looking probes poked out. Before it could shock and stab him, Finn held it still with the Force; but as he went to hit it, his grip faltered and the droid moved at the last second and he struck nothing but air.

“Keep going and concentrate,”  Kylo insisted. His encouragement fuelled Finn to try harder. This time, he wasn’t going to let it slip away. 

The droid was frozen in the air, probes suspended and ready to strike. Finn refused to distract himself with them. He swung the bar and smacked the droid hard from above. Its top panel sparked as it broke, unable to move. When Finn let it go, it dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

“Good job. You successfully destroyed a very dangerous machine of war.” 

“Thanks. Wasn’t that hard.” Finn sniffed proudly and nudged the ball with his boot. “Not sure I’m ready for that one over there.” He nodded towards the Magna-Guard.

Kylo looked over to it and hummed in agreement. “You won’t be touching that for some time, not until you learn to control your strength. Plus, a prolonged strike from that electro-staff and you’ll be dead.”

“I’ve never seen anything that can stop your lightsaber, sir.”

“It was designed to kill the Jedi. The staff can withstand any  saber blade but the fighters wielding them weren’t as protected. That unit is older than I am, that’s why I prefer to disable it rather than destroy it. Plus it served a great General once. It’s earned the right to live in my opinion, but it can and will kill you, Finn.”  Kylo turned back to him. “And don’t call me sir. You’re not a trooper anymore.”

“Yeah, well, you’re still my superior. What do I call you then?”

Kylo untangled his legs to stand. “I am your master and you are my apprentice.”

Finn would’ve been fine using  _ sir _ but he kept that to himself. He doubted he could get away from the strange title like he had with Rey. She was certainly more lenient.

“So I’ve smashed one droid. What’s next, master?”

“I brought you in here so you could unleash your emotions. Finn, you’re pretending like everything is fine and I see right through it.” 

It was beyond strange to see the  Sith actually caring. Finn had yet to really grasp that  Kylo was a person, not just a masked figure stalking the shadows. For a moment, he staggered at the compassionate change and just how perceptive  Kylo was. Finn had ignored most of his own feelings since he’d arrived on purpose. The reality of his situation was not something he thought he could cope with.

“I sense your anger and your grief. You shouldn’t bottle it up. Let it out.”

Finn shook his head. “I’m fine. I’m not really a violent guy, I just-”

“You’ve lost the only people who cared about you. You’re in mourning and acting like you’re not. You’re not eating or sleeping, either.”

Finn crossed his arms and averted his eyes. “And how would you know that? You keeping tabs on me?”

Kylo inclined his head. “I don’t sleep or eat either. And you-” He reached out and poked Finn’s head lightly. “-Have no defences in here to block your thoughts. I can hear them all the time.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. You haven’t learned how yet and I promise to teach you. But first, you must learn to let your anger escape out. In this room, you can do whatever you like.”

The wrecked droid floated up with a flick of  Kylo’s fingers. It was broken and dead, unable to strike back.  Kylo placed a hand on Finn’s shoulder.

“I can feel it, Finn. The loneliness inside you. You thought there was a chance at happiness but it was taken from you.”

Finn clenched his hand around the bar. 

“The one person you ever loved was killed and there was nothing you could’ve done. I see the life you thought you could’ve had with him if the Resistance hadn’t insisted that he fights. I see the home you wanted, just the two of you-”

Finn whirled round on him, eyes brimming with hurt rage. The change was so sudden, like Ren’s words were a blade wielded with deadly precision. “Why are you saying this?!” 

“Because this is the only way you’ll survive. The Dark Side is not some great evil to please. You don’t need a kill count to use the Force. It thrives on passion, on emotion. All that hurt inside you is power. If you allow it to define who you are, you will fall.”  Kylo grabbed Finn’s shoulders. “Pain of any kind is power. Take it and bend it to your will.”

The  Sith shoved at Finn to turn back to the droid. 

“Your first real lesson is this, Finn. Unleash the anger inside you. It’s trapped with no outlet and if it continues to build up, it will destroy you. This is not a cure but it will help.”

Kylo released his shoulders and took a step back. Finn glanced at him before he struck the droid without much strength. It stayed in place, held up by the  Sith’s hold. Finn sighed and let his arm and the bar drop to his side.

“Master Ren? Do I  _ have _ to smash things?”

“Is there something else you’d prefer?”

Finn should’ve kept his mouth shut and hit the stupid droid. 

He glanced at  Kylo’s upside down face and silently begged for help. A moment later, the Knight he’d asked to fight hand-to-hand with had thrown him further down the mat. Finn was certain her name was Kuruk, and she was an absolute beast even without her weapons. She’d kicked his ass across three rounds and never broke a sweat. Finn, on the other hand, was transpiring ridiculously and struggling to handle her kicks and punches.

Still, Master Ren had been right about finding an outlet. Finn was exhausted but in a good sense. He put up his arms for the fourth round and managed to punch Kuruk in the stomach. She wasn’t down for long, of course. 

When he finally tapped out, trapped in a headlock with his legs caught in hers, the Knight was grinning triumphantly with blood in her teeth. Finn thought she looked rather pretty, albeit terrifying, with her heavily muscled arms and tapered waist.  Kuruk was a short and narrow woman but her body was defined and very capable of carrying his entire weight and throwing him across the room. She reminded him a lot of Captain Phasma, but with olive skin and a dark mohawk braided away from her bloodied face. 

He hoped one day he could defeat her but for now, he was too tired to keep going. His arms and legs burned with exertion, and his stomach was growling for food. This time, when he thought about eating, he actually wanted to eat. He glanced up gratefully to Kylo as Kuruk shoved him in the direction of the refresher. 

Finn wasn’t sure who cooked around here. The only droids he’d spotted were either for cleaning or training. It certainly wasn’t  Kylo , who took his spot at the end of the low table on a red cushion and refused to do more than wait for the food to come. Finn wasn’t sure where to sit and whether the colourful pillows were assigned.  Kuruk sat and yanked him down between herself and  Kylo . 

Finn felt incredibly out of place, like most days. The Knights chatted amongst themselves as they ate, and Finn got a strong sense of family from the mismatched band of assassins and killers despite the varying ages. It wasn’t dull to simply watch them interact but he felt alone despite the lively banter between  Vicrul : a man fitter than any of them and covered in swirling, jagged tattoos, and  Ap’Lek : an impressively tall, blond person who took every sarcastic remark from the oldest member of the Knights as an invitation to bicker. Unfortunately,  Vicrul was nothing but human-shaped sarcasm and Finn had heard their heated banter from across the temple most nights when no one regulated their alcohol intake.

Trudgen always sat pensively; he was heavily-built, with a dark complexion and his hair kept in tight braids. Finn had overheard that he’d once been a true Mandalorian, with a house clan, but the man never wore his armour. Beside him, louder than any of them combined, was Cardo: a young auburn-haired, energetic explosion of a man. He was an ex-bounty hunter but his days spent tracking targets were long behind him, and he’d retained a strange wildness. 

And lastly,  Ushar . The heavy-set fighter had brushed off their first encounter as if it meant nothing now that Finn was on their side. That didn’t stop Cardo from poking fun at him for losing to a... Finn wasn’t  _ sure _ what the word meant in Cardo’s native tongue, but it sounded like an insult. It probably meant baby or child. Something that reminded  Ushar that he had lost to an untrained Force user.

Finn ate quietly and kept to himself, and noticed that  Kylo was doing the same. He thought back to what the  Sith had said, about not functioning properly, and he wondered how  Kylo was dealing with the loss of his childhood friend. Not very well, was the answer. 

Finn had not allowed himself to think too long about his own loss. If he did...  Kylo was right. The pain was eating him from the inside out. The hopelessness of it all was crushing.

Later that night, he found himself unable to sleep again. His body was exhausted but every time he closed his eyes, he was all too aware that his bed was empty and cold. The silence wasn’t helping- or at least, the lack of engines to lull him. There  _ was _ noise; the quarrelling Knights were drunk and night-time creatures hooted and screeched deep in the forest. Poe wasn’t there to soothe him when he finally slept, only to shoot up with a cry from a nightmare. 

Finn peeled back the covers, slipped on his boots, and went for a walk. He ended up going past the main lounge where the Knights liked to gather for the evening. He wasn’t entirely sure if they ever slept in their own beds- most mornings they were sprawled across the couches and carpet floors and appearing dead to the world until Lord Ren kicked them awake.

Oddly enough, Finn stumbled across  Kylo doing the exact same thing as him and getting some fresh air. 

On the left side of the temple was a stone courtyard, in a similar state as the throne room, draped with vines and overgrown with tropical flora peeking through the cracks of the pale-yellow slabs. Steps lined three sides of the yard and pillars reached up to support a trellis-like ceiling of ancient wood and stone. In the centre was Kylo, fighting with his repurposed Magna-Guard.

Finn found somewhere to sit and watch as the  Sith tried his best despite his injuries. He was pushing himself far too much and his energy was quickly running low. Finn had always feared Lord Ren and now, without the helmet, the  Sith looked even more ferocious and terrifying. He knew  Kylo had been kind to him so far but in that moment, Finn was still very much afraid. How could anyone ever stand up and win against such a determined opponent?

Kylo’s saber clashed with the electro-staff in a spark of red and purple but the Magna-Guard was designed to eradicate the Jedi. A Sith would face the same problems, especially an injured one. The droid kicked at  Kylo’s leg, knocking him down to his knee, and raised the staff above its head. Just as it came down on  Kylo , Finn stood up and held it in place.

Kylo shuffled backwards out of the way and disabled the droid by supressing the power source inside it. The Magna-Guard powered down and its staff became useless. Finn let go and rushed to the  Sith and pulled him up to his feet.

“Master, are you alright?” Finn asked as Kylo stumbled under the pain of his bruised leg and struggled to stay balanced.

“I’m fine,” he growled.

“Here, sit down.” 

Finn helped  Kylo to the nearest step and made sure he was sitting before fetching the  Sith’s discarded  saber . For a moment, Finn intended on walking back and taking it by hand before he remembered he could pull it to himself.

It was heavy and still warm from use. He stared down at the intricate hilt and its exposed wires and hastily crafted bodywork. 

“Give it back,”  Kylo warned, holding his hand out angrily. “It’s not a toy.”

Finn frowned and tossed it at him. “Yeah, I know that.”

“ Next time, don’t interfere with my training. I had that under control.”  Kylo set the  saber back on his belt and stood with a wince. 

“A thanks wouldn’t go amiss, you know.”  Kylo shot him a frigid glare and Finn partly withered, but he wasn’t going down without a fight. “Never mind, next time you can get electrocuted.”

“Learn to mind your own business, Finn. It’s safer for you that way.” 

Finn crossed his arms. “Well, maybe I didn’t feel like watching you get hurt. You’re already injured badly, why are you making things harder for yourself?”

“I’m not.”

“Master, you’re bleeding,” Finn pointed out as he nodded towards the wet patch on Kylo’s shirt.

The  Sith poked at the soaked fabric of his shirt and his fingers came back red. “Huh. So I am.”

“Maybe we should get that fixed up?” Finn took a nervous step closer. “Even earlier today, you were pushing yourself.”

“I have to. I have to be stronger, Finn.”

The ex-trooper scoffed as if the  Sith had joked. “You already are, sir.”

“Not enough. But fine, if you’re so concerned, I’ll have the med-droid  take a look .” 

“Good. Thank you.”

Kylo eyed him strangely and walked back inside, trying his best to avoid limping and looking utterly weak in front of his apprentice. Weakness was never an option. He would’ve kept going if Finn had not stopped him. Though, deep down, he was relieved to be told to stop.

Finn followed him, to make sure  Kylo actually went to the med-droid, and once he was getting checked up, Finn wandered back to his room and sat on his bed. It was too big for one person. He turned to look out of his window, up at the distant stars. There was nothing for him out there anymore. His life was here, among the Sith, with Master Ren.

* * *

A month passed on  Talok quickly. The weather never seemed to change from the blinding sun and bright blue sky unhindered by clouds, though he’d been warned of the oncoming monsoon season. Until then, Finn adapted to the heat happily. He was glad to shrug off the layers of his insulating under-armour uniform and he replaced them with comfortable, baggy clothes that helped cool him down as he trained. Unlike the  Sith and their heavy dark armour, Finn preferred lighter clothes with more colour if he could find it. He’d worn white his whole life and he was sick of it. But he was forced to borrow from the Knights and they hardly owned anything colourful.

Despite his quietness, the Knights grew rather fond of the new apprentice. Finn was fun target practice, after all, and although he put up a decent fight, it was clear the Knights enjoyed an easy win once in a while. 

Finn had not completely broken out of his shell yet but when he was training, any sort of shyness or reluctance to interact faded away. He wasn’t a skilled warrior like them. Not yet. But he was making strides. His days were so active that at night, he didn’t have the energy to feel sorry for himself or to mourn the dead.

He’d graduated from little round droids to walking, punching droids that kicked his ass at first. His metal bar was rather useless against them if he didn’t concentrate. The difficult grew with each new test, until Finn had successfully beaten a small group of droids by hand.

That was the moment Master Ren presented him with a saber hilt.

“One day, I will teach you to make your own,”  Kylo explained as he held out the weapon, “But for now, train with this. Let’s see how fast you master a  lightsaber .”

It was a simple hilt, with hardly any of the decorations that the Knights or  Kylo had given theirs. A basic weapon. Finn held it away from himself and pressed an activation switch near the top of the grip. A red blade ignited from it, humming loudly. Finn tested the weight, carefully guiding the  saber through the air around him. It was certainly lighter than the metal bars he’d been using but that had shaped his arms nicely. 

“Attack those droids over there,”  Kylo instructed as he powered up the machines.

Finn waited until the droids were close enough and went to slash at it, like he would’ve with the metal bar. He normally struck the arms and then the head, but the  saber cut right through the droid’s limb and since the blade was longer, severed the head too. Finn stumbled back in shock.

He stared at the  saber and then up to the droids. Within seconds, the machines were in sparking pieces on the floor of the training hall. 

“Good. You did not hesitate to strike.”

Finn glanced back to Master Ren. “That was kind of fun.”

Kylo smirked. “Now, let’s see how you do against me.”

“What.”

“Come on, droids are stupid. They have a basic protocol to follow and they’re easy to kill. A person, however, can fight back properly. So come to me, and we’ll see if you can hold your own.”

Kylo inclined his head down at the mats beneath his feet and ignited his  saber .

“You and I both know I can’t win against you,” Finn said solemnly as he stared at the glowing red blades.

“Oh, I  _ see _ . I didn’t realise I was training a coward. Well, if you’d much rather spend your days hitting droids, go ahead. Or maybe, for once, you could stop doubting yourself and fearing the unknown.”  Kylo swung his  saber in a circle with a flick of his wrist. He made it look so easy and graceful. Finn did not even try to copy him. “I won’t attack. You try to penetrate my defences and strike me.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, master.”

Kylo rolled his eye. “Stop being afraid. Fear is a weakness. It will hold you back.”

The  Sith raised his  saber at an angle to protect himself from oncoming blows. When Finn tried to move around him,  Kylo stepped in the opposite direction. Finn suddenly swung low, going for  Kylo’s unprotected legs. The  Sith blocked him with impressive strength and speed. Finn aimed higher at his shoulder and was stopped yet again. True to his word,  Kylo was not retaliating.

Finn found it nearly impossible to break through, even when they’d moved off the mats and  Kylo was forced to walk backwards. Right until  Kylo broke his promise and attacked. Finn noticed how he tensed and how his gaze moved to various parts of Finn before settling on striking his arm. As  Kylo changed tactics, he gave Finn the opportunity to spin to the side and get behind  Kylo . If he’d wanted to, he could’ve struck the  Sith in the back and ended him. 

Instead, he retreated a couple steps and turned his  saber off. When  Kylo faced him and did the same, the  Sith gave him an approving nod. “What gave me away?”

“You stopped looking at my  lightsaber ,” Finn answered with a proud smile. “I beat you.”

“Don’t get cocky. I let you win. No one stays on the defensive for long. Eventually, you have to take a risk and attack. But yes, you’re right. In a fight, it’s hard to focus on everything. Your opponent’s eyes will often tell you their next move.”

Finn held out the  saber to give it back. 

“No, it’s yours for now. I will teach you how to build one soon but in the meantime, that will have to do. We’ll move on to forms soon.”  Kylo came closer and rested a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “You did well.”

Finn beamed with pride. 

“That’s enough for one day, but we’ll carry on in the morning. Don’t expect me to let you win again. This was a test, just like any other. If you wish to pass, you’ll have to work hard.”

“I will, master.” 


	2. Chapter 2

** Chapter 2 **

Returning to  Starkiller almost brought Finn to his knees. He remembered the fear like ice in his veins and the frantic beating of his heart when trying to escape this awful place twice, but he had only succeeded once. He wondered what his life would be like now if he’d managed to run fast enough, if he’d been less hesitant to shoot General Hux. Would he still have ended up right by Lord Ren’s side?

The surface of the frozen planet was scorched and cracked but without the warmth of a nearby sun, the ice and snow had quickly returned. It made the environment treacherous and deadly. One false step could send anyone falling down into the crevices of the earth to their death. The once magnificent trees were now black spires rising up to a grey sky.  Ilum bared the scars of  Starkiller ’s immense power and it stood as proof that the First Order would take any risk necessary to capture victory. 

The shuttle did not land at the base. Lord Ren flew around it and kept going, right towards the enormous trench that dug down for hundreds of miles to the core of the planet. Finn stared out of the viewport at the metal walls of the trench, filled with shields and machinery to keep digging further down. The barrel of the weapon was in the far distance and Finn wondered if they’d ever considered making it mobile, like the cannon of a tank.

They finally came to a stop at the very bottom of the trench. When Finn stepped out, he stared up at the very distant sky above. Miles and miles above. He didn’t ask where  Kylo was taking him, he followed straight into a facility built into the side of the trench. It looked incomplete with stone walls and support beams to keep the ceiling from caving in.

Kylo took him further down and the heat from the planet’s core could be felt despite the shields. The walls were warm to the touch and Finn noticed that some twinkled, as if glitter or diamonds formed in the stone. 

The  Sith stopped at the mouth of a large cavern and Finn almost walked into him, too distracted by the strange glittering cave. It almost looked like ice but it was too warm for that.

“You are standing in one of the last pure sources of  Kyber crystal in the galaxy,”  Kylo explained. “These crystals are what power our  lightsabers . Without it, your weapon is useless. I want you to pick your crystal.”

Finn glanced around at all of the shiny specks in the cavern. There had to be thousands of little crystals.

“Any one of them?” He asked, thumbing the nearest one on the wall beside him. 

“No. You will know which is yours when you see it. Go on, take your time. This is not a test.”

Finn took a few steps into the cavern. The ceiling was covered in menacing stalactites that he feared would fall on him at any moment. How could he pick only one?  Kylo was not helping one bit. They all looked pretty to him, so he wandered deeper. 

When he turned back, he realised  Kylo was out of sight and there was a system of tunnels leading away from the cavern. It would be stupid to go down them. He’d get lost. And yet, he felt as if he needed to see what was down there.

The left tunnel, which he felt most interested in, led to another cave but smaller than the main one. The ground was entirely made of crystal and he could peer down the thick surface to a lower level. Finn was naturally cautious of the fragile floor but beyond it was a crystal that glistened more than any other, like a star had been plucked from the night sky and left there in the wall. Finn edged around the cave and reached the special crystal. This had to be what  Kylo meant.

Before he could wonder if he needed special tools to extract the ice-white gem, he prodded it and it fell into his open palm. 

Finn brought it back to  Kylo with a hopeful smile.

“I think I got it,” he said  pridefully as he held it up for the  Sith to admire.

“You’ve done well. When we return home, you’ll build your own  lightsaber . For now, I have to attend to some things back on the surface.”  Kylo began to head back but he paused and looked up at all the crystals. “I came to  Ilum as a child and did the same thing you did today.”

“Was it easy to find yours? Mine was just right there.”

Kylo shook his head. “I spent two days in the caves. I ended up grabbing a random one just to please my Master.” He glanced at Finn with uncertainty. “Go back to the ship and wait for me.”

“Yes, master.” Finn stared as Kylo wandered back into the cave. 

Finn was growing bored of sitting and waiting. But he was always good at taking orders and he waited until  Kylo returned an hour later, clenching something in his gloved hand tightly. When  Kylo noticed he was being stared at, he shrugged.

“It’s about time I do things for myself and not others,” he casually explained as he pocketed a crystal and started up the engines.

Expecting to be apprehended by the First Order, Finn gave the officers and troopers odd looks before he realised that he was perfectly safe and protected with Lord Ren at his side. Some bowed their heads towards him which made Finn’s stomach perform nervous flips. They weren’t shooting at him so he was happy about that but it still unnerved him to be treated respectfully. Janitors sadly did not get bowed at.

While  Kylo disappeared towards the medical bay to have his damaged face examined, Finn paced the halls near to the hangar hoping he could quickly return to the shuttle.  Kylo would probably be a while but Finn did not want to keep him waiting.

He ended up walking straight into Captain  Phasma . Finn almost ran for his life.

“FN-2187, you’ve returned,” she greeted bitterly. Her helmet was sealed on tight but Finn was certain he’d find a sour grimace beneath the chromium.

“Hey, yeah, I’m with Lord Ren. He’s just- He'll be back soon.” Finn faltered, she didn’t care one bit. Before she could walk away, he added, “I’m sorry.”

Phasma tensed and stopped in her tracks. “For what?”

“What I did to you.” She turned to look back at him and Finn averted his eyes quickly. “I am sorry.”

“If you ever attempt that on me again, do me the favour of killing me afterwards. I never wish to live through that again. I prefer death.”

Without another word, she swiftly left Finn to reflect. The pain he’d caused to get that information had been beyond anything Phasma had ever experienced. No amount of torture could total up to the damage Finn had left in the wake of his mind probe. Unknown to him, Phasma had needed to remain in isolation and attended daily reconditioning sessions until her mind was stable again. It was her loyalty to General Hux and her close friendship to him that had kept her alive. No one else would’ve rerouted funds to fix her physically damaged brain with cybernetic implants. 

She couldn’t bear to be in Finn’s presence for much longer. Now, she was glad he’d been handed to Lord Ren so he could suffer too. At least, she hoped he was suffering.

When Ren returned, he was quiet. He so very rarely parted with his  helmet but he did on the shuttle once the ship was heading home. He set it down in his lap and sighed heavily.

“Something wrong?” Finn asked from the co-pilot's seat beside him. 

Kylo turned his head and revealed to Finn the extent of the damage Skywalker had done. The  lightsaber had struck the edge of his jaw and scraped up his gaunt cheek, across the inner corner of his tear duct, and caught the bridge of his nose. The missing bone from his jaw had been replaced, as well as the cartilage. It seemed like he’d very narrowly avoided losing his eye. The thick scar was hidden beneath a long  bacta stripe. 

Finn moved closer to get a better look. “Doesn’t seem that bad. It didn’t kill you, after all.”

“Finn.” 

“And it’s only been- what? A month? Give it time to heal.”

“Finn!” 

The ex-trooper promptly shut his mouth. He was only trying to make the  Sith feel better. He’d seen worse scars on fellow soldiers. Sure, it was distracting but it didn’t take that much away from the young man’s handsomeness. Finn wanted to reassure him but before he could,  Kylo admitted something that made his heart sink in pity.

“I can’t see. My right eye is blind. The doctors were too busy reconnecting my jaw to fix the cut on my eye.” Kylo leaned closer to Finn so he could see the very fine damage done. “I didn’t get my bandages off until today so I couldn’t know. It’s useless now.”

“Can’t they fix it?”

“No, it’s beyond repair. So my depth perception is permanently fucked.”

“You seemed like you managed during our duel.”

Kylo shook his head and sat back properly in his seat. “I was using the Force to help guide me. I couldn’t actually tell how far away your blade was.”

“And you can’t tell with the Magna-Guard either,” Finn realised with a hard swallow. “Or anything.”

“No. Yet another part of me Skywalker has taken away. He left me to die out there.”  Kylo sighed heavily. “I’ve heard of blind Force users but I never imagined I’d be one.” He punched the arm rest. “I don’t think I’ll be duelling you for a while. There’s... The doctor mentioned that I could get a new eye, a cyber one. I’ll need some time to think about it. It’s a very invasive procedure.”

“Yeah, of course. Take all the time you need. We’ll duel when you’re better.”  Kylo gave Finn an odd look. “What?”

“Nothing. Just not used to people being reasonable.”

Finn frowned. “What else do you expect me to say? You’re hurt, you need time to heal. If you keep pushing yourself like you already have, you’ll make it worse. I thought that was obvious.”

“It’s weak.”

“You’ll only be weaker if you don’t let your body heal. Or if you don’t get upgrades. Will you please stop looking at me like that, master? You’re freaking me out. I’m just using common sense. Is that not part of Sith teachings?”

Kylo snorted and smirked. “No, not really.”

“Well, it’s part of mine.”

“I’m glad it is.”

* * *

The dining table had been cleared of decorative candles and embroidered runners to make space for the various tools and books in front of Finn. He skimmed through the manuals and designs for  lightsabers and was lost completely. Tech was never his strongest skill, or creativity. The First Order had not encouraged that in  stormtroopers . 

“A  lightsaber is a sacred weapon,”  Kylo began to explain as he sat down across from Finn. “Its origins date back to a simpler time when the galaxy was not griped with war like today. The first ones made no longer exist but people wrote down instructions. In the end, the saber you make represents you. It is an extension of yourself, of your connection with the Force. That being said, taking a saber from an enemy is a great insult but giving your saber over to someone is a sign of trust. You must guard your weapon with your life.”

Kylo pointed at the books Finn had picked up.

“In here are all sorts of hilts you can draw inspiration from. Not everyone has a clear image of what they want, so I hope it helps.”

He gestured at the wires, power conductors and braces, and the assortment of scrap metal that had been harvested from the irreparable droids Finn had slashed to pieces. 

“Everything you’ll need to assemble your  saber . Well, minus your crystal. We won’t add it in until you’ve completed the hilt, in case there is a fault. Neither of us want to lose our hands, do we?”

Finn pulled the Kyber out of his pocket and stared at the tiny crystal. It was mostly  clear but a blue glow emanated from inside. He carefully set it down on the table away from the edge so he wouldn’t accidentally knock it over.

“Now, the mechanical parts will be tricky so I will help you with any faults, but the design and the power you channel through it must be your own.”  Kylo uncrossed his legs and stood. “I will let you work in peace.”

Finn raised his hand but lowered it nervously, feeling rather foolish. “You gave me parts of droids.”

“Well, you destroyed them. It’s a good trophy, I think. Why? Did you want something else?”

“This will probably sound strange, but do you have a blaster rifle lying around? A regular First Order issue one, specifically.”

Kylo hummed in thought and nodded. The armoury was stocked to the ceiling, there was bound to be one somewhere. While he walked off to find a rifle, Finn flickered through the books once more. He was so drawn in that he startled when a blaster was laid on the table beside his elbow. It looked exactly like the one he’d been issued on  Jakku .

Finn quickly pulled apart the rifle how he’d been trained to. The energy cartridge was placed aside but then he screwed off the black barrel of the blaster and held it in his palm. It was long enough to be a hilt. 

Kylo knelt beside him. “Well, I suppose that could work. It will need to be sliced in half so the bracers and cells can fit inside.”

“That’s alright. Give me a hand?”

“You don’t want to do this alone? When I made this one, I was alone with my tools.”  Kylo reached for his hilt as though it brought him comfort. 

“Your master wasn’t with you?”

Kylo shook his head. “ Snoke was only present to test me. I did everything myself. Perhaps, someday, I’ll rebuild my  saber . I have a new crystal, after all. But yours is more important right now. I’ll help if that’s what you want.”

Finn nodded with a faint smile. “Please.”

As  Kylo made himself comfortable with a pillow beneath him, Finn began sorting through the tools that could separate two halves of the blaster barrel. He watched as  Kylo pointed out where to make incisions for the mechanical innards of the  saber . 

Although the  Sith was giving thorough instructions, he did not touch any of the pieces. Finn spent most of the day hunched over the dining table assembling his  lightsaber . The sights on the end of the barrel were pried off and the white panels of the stock were melted and curved around the main body of the hilt to become a comfortable grip. The tech inside was visible through holes in the barrel. 

Before it was sealed shut, Finn picked up the Kyber with the Force and placed it carefully in its cradle. He  closed up all the  plastoid and metal and held his own  lightsaber . He gave  Kylo a nervous look and the  Sith nodded confidently. 

He pressed a little switch above the grip and a blue blade ignited from the blaster-turned- lightsaber . Finn stared at it in wonder.

“It’s not red like yours,” he commented softly as he admired the stunning glow. Since nothing had exploded or burned through the hilt, he felt more and more confident. 

“The crystals are not naturally red. You  have to change it yourself using the power of the Dark Side. I’ll show you how. For now, you’ve done very well.”  Kylo placed a hand on Finn’s shoulder and squeezed. “You’ve taken something from your past and turned it into a weapon. I told you the best way to deal with hurt is to control it. This is how. I’m very proud, Finn.”

The ex-trooper couldn’t hold  Kylo’s gaze for long. He chose to look down at his creation. 

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy,” the Sith questioned out of worry. 

“I am. You have no idea how happy I am.” Finn switched it off and carefully set down the  saber hilt. “I was scared, way before I came here, that I had no purpose or meaning. I had one with the First Order but then I was free and had nothing. I’m not... I’m not over Poe’s death. Or Rey’s. I probably won’t ever be. But I guess, I feel like I have something now.”

The  Sith glanced away, towards where  Vicrul had settled on a nearby couch, but he quickly ignored him in favour of Finn. He hadn’t brought the ex-trooper here to become a friend. He wanted someone to train in the dark ways but Finn had been damaged and fragile, and  Kylo knew forcing anything on him would break the man. He’d taken the risk of being slow and cautious. It had paid off.  Kylo definitely had an ally in Finn. And perhaps a friend too.

He crowded closer to Finn and wrapped an arm around him. 

“We’re your family now, Finn. We’ll take care of you.”

Finn cautiously returned the embrace with one arm.

“Now, I think it’s time to properly test out your  lightsaber . I’ve asked for a new shipment of droids to be sent here so the ones in the hall are all yours.” 

Kylo carefully stood up, still mindful of his injuries that were almost entirely healed. He held out his hand to pull Finn to his feet.

“You’ll be a real  Sith in no time, Finn. I’ll make sure of it,”  Kylo promised as he led him towards the training hall with his new  saber . It would soon be a red blade.


	3. Chapter 3

** Chapter 3 **

It was the fifth dead end this month. Quite literally. All intel had led Poe  Dameron straight to a corpse, assassinated by someone who’d been a plague on Poe’s mission since the very beginning. Tracing back through the messengers who’d worked so hard to deliver the encrypted device into General  Organa’s hands, Poe found that most had been killed or taken into custody by the First Order for ties with the Resistance. It seemed, however, that he was not the only one seeking out the truth.

The device had not come from the First Order but somewhere else, somewhere Poe desperately needed to find. The tech was too old and the encryption was nothing like what the First Order was capable of. The truth became his only goal. What else did he have? His fleet was destroyed. The Resistance was crushed. He was one of the few still fighting for the cause. Most members had disbanded after  Starkiller ’s final assault. No one knew how to fight against it and while spies were everywhere trying to find the plans to the super weapon in the hopes of finding a weak spot, the task seemed hopeless.

The Resistance was powerless to stop the spread of the First Order to the Core. The hastily assembled blockades were ripped apart by Dreadnoughts and Resurgent-class Star Destroyers. Coruscant had fallen within days. With the First Order in power of the Galactic seat, they grew in size and strength. Poe had not been to the Core but from the snippets he caught, they had settled permanently and not hesitated to take full control. It would be some time before the entire galaxy was in their grasp but Poe refused to accept that reality. Whatever was on this device, the First Order wanted it too.

Perhaps that was why he was being tailed. He’d noticed it a few days back. Now, it was a matter of seeing if they dared to show their face. He couldn’t tell if they were First Order. Their ship was a scrap pile, nothing worth noting while it had been flying through the Outer Rim but orbiting  Naboo , it stood out among the elite ships. So did his X-Wing, of course. It wasn’t a common sight either, it gathered more attention than it was worth.

Naboo was loosely occupied by the First Order. They’d set up operations and troops on the  planet but the security was lax around the landing bays and checkpoints. Not enough men or credits to fully control everything but there was talk of a greater invasion. It made it easier to land and find the next lead- which Poe found dead with a blaster wound. The Gungan had been killed recently but it wasn’t the freshest kill, which meant whoever was assassinating his leads was further ahead than him. 

Poe left the  Gungan alone. Someone would find him and bring him home. Poe couldn’t get involved with the authorities; they all reported to the First Order now and Poe was still a wanted man. He’d be shot on sight. 

As he wandered back to his ship, taking a longer route through the busy city to avoid doubling back, BB-8 beeped nervously at him. 

“I know, buddy.”

He turned around a corner into an alley and ducked into a large doorway, his hand hovering over his blaster as he waited for his follower. Their boots splashed in the puddles and suddenly stopped. Poe hesitated. They carried on walking past Poe’s hiding spot. 

Jumping out from the shadows, Poe aimed at them. “You’ve been following me for a while. Why?”

They spun back on him, blaster in hand. Poe couldn’t see their face properly beneath a hooded coat and he was shocked that they willingly pulled it back. His tail turned out to be was a woman, small and round-faced with a pissed off expression.

“You’re killing people,” she answered angrily. “I want to know why.”

“I haven’t killed any-”

“Don’t lie to me! Three people have died since you took off from Yavin Four. You’re a bounty hunter, aren’t you?” She waved her blaster around before settling it back on him. “I’m taking you in.”

Poe raised one hand in defence. “Look, lady, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m not-”

She pulled the trigger and a stun blast smacked straight into Poe’s chest, sending him back. Before BB-8 could attack, she let off an EMP device which disabled the droid. BB-8's domed head slumped forward onto the ground. How was she supposed to lug that back to her ship? Her hood slipped back over her head. She’d make it work somehow, she needed answers.

* * *

Poe was getting very sick and tired of being captured. Especially when it was obviously all a big misunderstanding. However, handcuffed to a pipe in the ship and gagged with what he could only guess was a scarf, Poe couldn’t do much to argue his case. 

BB-8 was locked up in a crate close to the pilot- his very angry kidnapper. The droid would be no use as long as the electro-magnetic field on top of the crate was switched on. If Poe could somehow dislodge it... He stretched out his leg and tried to kick the crate. The noise alerted the woman.

“Hey! Sit down and stop struggling, scumbag,” she warned with a deep frown. 

Poe spoke back to her. Well, he tried to. The muffled noises that came out from behind the gag were the furthest thing from Basic. Or any known language. Still, that didn’t deter Poe from hosting a full-blown argument at her.

“Enough! If I un-gag you, will you shut up?”

“ Mmmhmm .”

She rolled her eyes and stood up. They were far from  Naboo now, drifting in the endless void of space. Crouching down in front of Poe, she wisely checked his bindings before hooking her index fingers under the scarf and pulling it down beneath his chin. Poe moved his jaw to loosen the ache.

“Look, I’ve been trying to-”

“You said you’d shut up!”

Poe sighed. “Actually, I didn’t agree at all. Lady, please, let me speak!”

The woman crossed her arms impatiently. “Fine. But whatever lies you’ve got ready, I won’t believe them. No bounty hunter is going to fool me.”

“I’m not a hunter!” Poe yanked at his cuffs but they held strong. “And I didn’t kill anyone. I found those people dead already.”

“Funny how everywhere you’ve gone, death followed.”

“Death was already there. I know you see a pattern but it’s not what you think. I’ve been trying to follow these people but I’m not the only one. Somebody else is killing them before I get a chance to talk to them!”

“And what exactly were you going to talk to them about?”

“I’m afraid that’s classified information.”

“Huh. Don’t suppose it has something to do with this?” She pulled out the data drive from her pocket. “Found it in your droid.”

Poe frowned and tried to reach out for it unsuccessfully. “Give me that.”

“Looks very important to you. What does the guild want with this?”

“How should I know? I’m not with them. Look, lady-”

“Rose. My name is Rose. Stop calling me lady, it’s annoying.”

Poe held up his bound hands in apology and ducked his head. “Rose. I’m Poe. I’m just trying to find out what’s on that drive. Nothing can decrypt it. Those dead guys all came into contact with it, maybe one of them knew how to.”

“The First Order should be able to decrypt it.”

“Maybe. But I don’t think they can. Look at it, you ever seen something like that before?”

Rose stared at it closer and slowly nodded her head. “Yes. And I want to know why it ended up in your hands!”

“I was, uh... Like I said, it was given to me.”

“It wasn’t meant for you. You should’ve passed it on to someone else. There should’ve been another. You aren’t  _ supposed _ to hold on to it. Which only makes me more suspicious of you. Those men had their orders and you-”

“How do you know that?” Poe shuffled closer. “Are you... are you with the Resistance?”

Rose scoffed. “No.” She hesitated and sighed, and then sat down in front of Poe. “But I think my father was. I saw him protecting this thing before he passed it on to the next carrier. He told me it was special.”

“Then ask him all the questions.”

“I can’t. He was killed, back on  Yavin Four. I saw you leaving our home. And I followed you.”

Poe bowed his head and looked away. “The man in the blue apartment.”

“Yes. So, if you’re not a hunter, what are you?”

“I’m  _ with _ the Resistance. I was tasked with decrypting this data drive. I’m sorry, Rose. When I got there, he was already gone. I promise you, I had nothing to do with his death. Someone is tying up loose ends and they’re faster than I am.”

“Do you know the next person?”

“Yeah, but by now, they’re probably dead. I’ve got some names and locations but the further back I go, the less I’m able to find the ones at the beginning of it all. I have no idea who sent it out or from where.”

Rose dropped her hands in her lap and sighed. She looked almost pained to side with him. For a moment, her victory over her father’s killer had filled her with joy but now she only had more questions and fewer answers than she’d hoped for. 

“You want to find out what’s on the drive. I want to find the person responsible for my father’s death. I hate this, but I think it might be a good idea to work together,” Rose admitted with a heavy heart and a less than happy expression. “But this is my ship and I have rules.”

“Where’s my X-Wing, by the way?” Poe interrupted. “I won’t leave it behind. It’s valuable Resistance equipment.”

“Relax, we’ll go back for it. But first, I need to know if you’ll work with me.”

“Yeah, sure, just don’t get in my way and don’t get yourself killed. Now, would you uncuff me, please?” Rose reached forward to press the button on the cuffs. They fell open into her awaiting hand. “Thank you. Now, if we could head back to Naboo-”

“We never left.” 

Rose stood up and wandered over to the pilot’s console and pressed a few things. The endless void Poe had seen was only a simulation. As the viewport turned clear again, he winced at the sudden sunlight and Naboo’s blue sky.

“That was a whole lot of effort to trick me,” Poe stated as he got to his feet and quickly freed BB-8. “Also, don’t ever lock my droid in a crate again.”

“I had to make you think you were far from help.”

“Uh huh. And has that ever worked before?” Poe reached down to pat his confused droid’s head.

Rose shrugged. “Tricked you.”

“I’m not your enemy.”

“I sure hope that’s the truth, because I will shoot you again if I suspect you’re lying to me.” Rose headed towards the ramp and let it drop down.

Poe rolled his eyes and followed her. He was wasting his time dealing with this woman. The soonest chance he had, he was ditching her. Revenge wasn’t a good enough motivator to keep her around. And Poe did not want to be responsible for another person.

His X-Wing was parked close by and thankfully devoid of any parking violations. As if he had the money to pay for that. The ship wasn’t even registered on any database. 

BB-8 quickly hurried up and climbed into the  Astromec compartment behind the cockpit. The ship fired up instantly.

“So, if the next one is likely a dead end... where to?” Rose asked as he bumped into her to climb up into the X-Wing.

“ Jakku .”

“ Jakku ? That’s far away!”

“Look, I bet my ship is faster so I’ll reach  Jakku sooner than you. When you get there, head to  Niima Outpost.”

Rose crossed her arms in doubt. “Your  Astromec can fly the X-Wing. You stay with me.”

“Not happening. I like my peace and quiet. Trust me, I’m with the Resistance. We’re here to help, right?” Poe gave her his best winning smile and closed up the cockpit to block out any impending arguments. Before she could shoot him again, he lifted off the ground and joined the  Naboo air traffic. 

Poe headed towards  Jakku like he’d promised but he wasn’t going the whole way there. His best chance at finding the source had been to ask the data drive’s carriers but by now, they were surely all dead or about to die and Poe didn’t have every name or location. Rescuing them wasn’t part of the mission and he couldn’t anyways. His next bet was trying to find out where the drive had been used. He surely wasn’t the only one to have tried to slice its decryption. If he was extra lucky, someone further up the chain of messengers had tried as well and he’d have a vague location of where it had been activated.

It had been sometime since he’d set foot on  Takodana but he felt relief in seeing the green planet once again. This time, though, he was alone. Every attempt not to think about his missing friend, Finn, had been foiled by his own intrusive thoughts. And the sight of  Maz’s castle on the edge of a great lake brought back the painful longing Poe tried very hard to tap down and ignore.

It had been a frightening time, of course, but Finn had been by his side the whole time and never budged even when Poe acted recklessly. Finn was gone now. Even if Poe refused to give up hope, the darker parts of his mind reminded him that the chances of ever seeing the ex-trooper were slim to none. 

Poe wanted information but also a drink.  Maz had plenty of both to offer. The small orange woman threw him a cautious look as he sat down at the bar. 

“Not here to cause trouble, are you, boy?” She asked with a wide-eyed but wary gaze.

“No. I don’t think so, ma’am. Just working a job.”

Maz poured him a drink. “I’ll fetch you something to eat. It’s on the house.”

Poe raised a brow. “After the trouble I caused?”

“I heard about the  Starkiller massacre,” Maz explained sympathetically as she wrote down an order and passed it back through the kitchen window, smacking the bell before she turned back. “How is Leia doing?”

“I wouldn’t know. I haven’t been back for a month, maybe two. I’ve honestly lost track of time. Not well I imagine, though. We suffered heavy losses.”

“That’s what Chewbacca told me. I am sorry. War is such ugly business.”

“ Chewie was here? When?”

Maz shrugged and served another customer as she spoke. “A couple weeks ago, perhaps. He comes here often to refuel the Falcon with Han but that poor man just comes here to drink in peace. The  Hutts know about his involvement. I warned him but he never, ever, listens. Stupid man.”

“I’d like to help him but I can’t.” The kitchen bell rang.

“So do I. Here.” She passed a plate to him. “Eat up. You look like you haven’t eaten in days.”

“I haven’t. Fuel prices went way up since  Coruscant got taken over. I can’t steal too much or they’ll find me. Still got a shoot-to-kill order on my head.” Poe took the offered fork and tucked in. He couldn’t complain even though the meat was of mystery origin to him.

“You’re brave being out here, then.”

“I have a job to do, and you seem to know a lot. I’m hoping you might be able to help me.”

“Depends. What do you need?”

Poe reached into his pocket to retrieve the drive he’d stolen back from Rose. He easily taken it out of her pocket when he’d bumped into her. 

“A terminal that can tell me where this was activated. Or a slicer who can decrypt this stupid thing.” 

Maz rubbed her chin as she thought. “The first part might be very tricky, but I heard rumours there was a code-breaker in  Cantonica . He’s a little off-set but I’m sure for the right price, he’ll get the job done.”

Poe didn’t ask how she came by that knowledge. He’d gone to her knowing she’d have something up her sleeve and that was all he needed.

“I hope so. Thank you,  Maz . I’ve been running around without much hope lately.”

Maz patted his hand. “Eat. Rest. You will be safe here as long as you stay out of trouble.”

“I’ll try.”

She patted him again and went to serve her other patrons. Poe tuned out most of the chatter and noise around him. He was exhausted and now that he’d slowed down, he found it difficult to eat without falling asleep in his plate.

In the morning, the pilot thanked  Maz for her kind hospitality and headed off in the direction of  Cantonica . The journey would take days, skipping through hyperspace lanes that weren’t occupied by the First Order and stopping to stretch his legs. Poe only hoped that all of this was worth it, if this code-breaker was as good as  Maz had advertised. He didn’t want to even consider failure.

Leia was counting on him. Finn was counting on him. 

* * *

BB-8 hated sand, like so many droids. It would filter through the seams of his panels and get stuck in the motors and gyros, and reduce how quick he could roll around. Just looking at the expanse of sand on the desert planet of  Cantonica was making the droid irritable. He hoped Poe wasn’t planning on landing anywhere nearby.

It was a relief to see the dunes fade away into a lush coastal town, but everything about Canto Bight looked wrong and out of place. He beeped curiously at Poe.

“Yeah, I know, buddy. We’re not staying long. We just need this guy’s help and we’ll be on our way.” Even Poe noticed that the city looked like it had been taken from another planet and dropped on the edge of a forever-expanding ocean. In the middle of a desert.

Enormous cliffs framed the outskirts of the compact city, leading down to a white beach and clear waters. On the edge was a landing zone covered with elite ships, some of which were brand-new and just off the assembly line. Poe made sure to land somewhere out of sight, away from any patrol units. 

He climbed out and waited for BB-8 to roll up to his heel obediently, before heading into the busy streets. Every shop and restaurant had staggering prices. He was glad  Maz had given him some rations for a tiny price, because he’d have to sell his droid to even afford a meal here. And yet, the folks around were all carrying bags and shopping happily. Though the closer he looked, the more he realised that the shoppers had servants to carry it all. It was that sort of city.

“Stick close to me, buddy,” he said to the droid. “We’ll try to find a bar to get a lay of the land. Fingers crossed the guy’s still here.”

BB-8 beeped encouragingly and held out his welding torch like a thumbs-up. Poe chuckled and reached down to pet the droid’s head.

“What would I do without you, huh? Come on.”

The longer Poe searched, the more he was willing to believe that Canto Bight had no lower-class drinking establishments. They were all rich clubs where they served  Alderaan wine and the guards were ready to throw men like Poe into a trash compacter for even thinking of entering. 

So he took the hint and found another way in. Not the back door because they wisely guarded that, but the roof. Vents were the bane of his existence with his not-so-narrow hips but Poe managed to squeeze through and dropped down into one of the store rooms. He glanced up and held out his arms.

BB-8 gave a hesitant shake of his head before temporarily turning off his photo-receptor and rolling forward into the gap. He gave the droid equivalent of a frightened scream as he fell out of the vent and into Poe’s arms. The pilot winced.

“You’re heavy,” he complained as he set down the droid and closed up the vent hatch. BB-8 complained. “Oh, you’re fine. I caught you, didn’t I?”

Poe set his eyes on the door.

“Alright, how do I look?”

BB-8 reeled his head to take in all of the pilot. His answer made Poe’s grin drop like lead.

“Well,  _ thanks _ . I’ll take that as a compliment.” It wasn’t meant to be one and the droid told him as much. “You know what? Next time, you can stay outside.”

Poe straightened his clothes. His dark-brown jacket and off-white shirt weren’t going to look very impressive. Especially not the blaster strapped to his thigh. It probably didn’t help that his only wash had been a very cold and brief dip in a river on some quiet planet the day before. He wasn’t exactly setting the highest standards when representing the Resistance.

Regardless of his appearance, Poe had a mission.

The club he’d snuck into was actually a casino, filled to the brim with frighteningly rich people who could afford to gamble high amounts. Just the piles of credits on some of the tables were making Poe dizzy. Oh, what he could do with all that; new ships, new weapons, perhaps hire private armies to back the Resistance. The possibilities were endless as were the depths of these people’s pockets. But he was also witness to those who gambled away everything they had. Some lost the keys to their ships or deeds to ancestral homes and land. 

Poe left them alone and wandered over to the bar. The prices were absurd. He had enough for fuel to get back to D’Qar and nothing else, not even food. Perhaps he’d need to steal some credits.

“What’s your fancy tonight, sir?” One of the female bartenders asked. Poe briefly noted that all the staff were humans. Odd for a planet so far from the Core.  Cantonica was the furthest sector on the map.

“Information, preferably.”

The woman pulled back with distain. Her hair was yanked so far up into a high ponytail, it was bound to give her a headache. “We don’t cater to bounty hunters.”

“I’m not a-”

“I do,” a stout man cut in beside Poe. “Come, sit with me.”

Poe had no choice but to follow the man with thinning hair and beady eyes towards a card table. He sat down and offered Poe a seat beside him.

“Tell me, do you play sabacc?” 

Poe shook his head. “No, sorry.”

“Then watch and learn.” The man gestured to be dealt in and Poe tried to keep up. Unfortunately, he couldn’t care less. Not until the man won an extraordinary amount. “I think that’s enough for tonight. My wife will be quite happy.”

He stood and Poe followed him towards the exit. 

“Look, sir, I don’t mean to be rude but-” Poe’s hand was grabbed and a handful of credits slapped into his palm.

“For your discretion. There will be more after the job is done.”

“Job? What job?”

The man beckoned for Poe to come closer. They were in a quiet corner, the secrecy was odd.

“You’re a bounty hunter. I need someone dealt with. A competitor of mine. You see, the First Order has commissioned my company for state-of-the-art battle droids but someone is trying to undermine my operations so that they’ll get the contract instead. I know exactly who is responsible and I-”

“I’m sorry, I have to stop you, sir. I’m not a bounty hunter.”

The man’s brows raised to his hairline. “You look like one.”

“Fair point. But I’m just looking for someone. A code-breaker. I was told he was here.”

The man’s face went white as a sheet. “Oh.”

“I’m sorry about your problems but I’m not a hired killer.” Poe felt awful giving back the credits.

The man shook his head. “No, keep it but you will never, ever, utter a word of what I told you. If anybody finds out I was looking for a hunter... Good day to you, sir.”

Before Poe could protest, the man hurried away. Poe quickly stashed the credits in his pocket. It wasn’t much but at least, he could afford rations now. Still, that had not led to much. Until he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was the man again.

“Forgive my rudeness, I am not myself lately. All this stress... My wife barely recognises me these days. I am better than this, I swear. You said you were looking for a code-breaker. I can’t help much but I heard someone was arrested for trying to break into the bank vaults here in Canto Bight.”

“I... uh, thank you.”

The man jabbed a finger in his face. “Not. A. Word.”

“I promise, sir.”

He nodded and left Poe again, this time for good. Poe glanced down at BB-8 and shrugged. 

“Looks like we’ve got a lead. Let’s go.” 

Poe hurried out of the front door and down the road before the guards could notice they had not let him in to begin with. The police department had to be close, or at least holding cells. He’d worry about how to break out the guy when he got there. Only, he didn’t quite get there.

Stood in his path was Rose, with her stun blaster pointed at him and the sourest expression Poe had ever seen. Worse than Han when he’d stolen the Falcon with Rey and accidentally got it impounded on Mandalore. 

“Rose, hey! Hi.”

She pulled her trigger.


	4. Chapter 4

** Chapter 4 **

Patience was not a word in Rey’s vocabulary when she had been a nervous, wide-eyed  padawan , and years of Jedi teachings had not managed to instil it. It was either immediate success or definite failure; neither of which Master Skywalker believed in. 

His frown was only deepening the longer he watched Rey struggle to remain balanced and calm. Not necessarily with the Force but with her own body. Rey’s movements were stiff with pain and she bared her teeth as she stumbled once again and needed to brace herself on her staff. 

“Rey, you must have-” 

She glared at him with burning rage. “If you say patience once again, I will not allow you to stay here. I didn’t even ask for you, master.”

Luke recoiled and sighed, his hands coming up to appease the heart-broken girl. “I only want to make sure you aren’t pushing yourself.”

“I don’t need you here.” She braced herself to take another step and put too much power in her movement, and she fell to her knees. Luke stood to help but Rey held him back with the Force. “Don’t touch me! I can do this myself.”

“I know you can but you don’t have to, Rey. Whatever I can do-”

She scoffed. “You could’ve done plenty. For starters, getting me something better than this.”

Her metal fist came down on her cybernetic thigh noisily. It echoed loudly in the empty hallway.

“It’s all we had lying around. I know it’s not perfect. Han promised to get money together for you.”

“Han hasn’t been back for weeks,” Rey hissed, forcing her awkward leg to unfold so she could stand. It was horribly heavy, taken from pieces of a droid. At least her hand worked decently but she often lost her grip when it malfunctioned. “I’m stuck here waiting.”

“It won’t be long now, Rey. Trust him.”

“No. I don’t. And I don’t trust you either.”

Luke held up his hands. “We’ve been over this a hundred times, Rey. I had to keep it a secret!”

Rey slammed the end of her staff on the ground. “Enough! Just leave me alone already!”

“Alright. I will.” Luke sighed solemnly and bowed his head as he retreated, leaving Rey in the empty hall.

She slumped against the nearest wall and kept herself upright with the staff. The connection between the metal and her flesh was beginning to ache. The artificial leg was too heavy to keep lugging around. 

Rey hobbled back into her room, mostly dragging the dead weight of her leg behind her and pulling herself forward with her remaining foot. She sat down on her bed and brought her tool kit closer, dropping it beside her as she Force-slammed the door shut and untied her baggy sleeping shorts. She pulled them down far enough to be able to reach where the metal was fused to her thigh, and began unscrewing the joints.

After some effort, the metal limb was detached and tossed down on the floor. Rey sighed in relief and traced the thick scar without daring to look at it. There was no forgetting it was there. Although the  saber blade had made a diagonal cut, the medical droids who’d saved her life had opted to shorten the remaining limb even more to make it straight. They had left a horrid bumpy scar.

Pulling her shorts back up, she grabbed a pin and fixed the loose fabric in place so it didn’t bother her. She couldn’t bear to look at her mangled limbs any longer. The sight of them had often made her retch and although the sickening sensation had slowly passed, it had been replaced with anger and resentment. The wrath she had felt towards Kylo before she’d learned the truth of his disappearance was nothing compared to now. The next time their paths crossed, nothing would stop her from cutting off his head.

Rey had not voiced her thoughts to anyone. How could she? Han and Leia were both mourning  Kylo as if he was guaranteed dead but Rey knew better. She could sense him out there somewhere, alive and breathing. It made her blood boil. And Luke... Luke was a liar. He was part of the reason Rey was down to an arm and leg, and two useless stumps.

Rey needed fresh air, not the filtered oxygen that was ventilated down to her underground room. Gathering her staff, she found it easier to move without the heavy weight of her metal leg. She wasn’t much faster, especially when her hands kept slipping, but it was better than being wheeled around by a carer.

She passed by the General’s meeting room but it was mostly empty except for a few rebels intercepting transmissions. Odd. General  Organa was always there. Not even C-3PO was standing by.

D’Qar was already such a quiet planet but now it was worse than ever. With the fleet gone and all hope lost, most of the Resistance had disbanded for the sake of preservation. It was safer to be split up across the stars, monitoring First Order activity from up close than gathering in one place. At least, that’s what they told the General. Rey sensed their fear and doubt.

Without the aid of the New Republic, what could be done against the First Order? Rey had not given it much thought. In fact, her entire future was never something she’d put much interest in because she’d strongly believed her stand against  Kylo and the Supreme Leader would be her end. Now that she had barely survived and the war was lost, Rey had not yet found her place in any of this. 

All she had were questions and no one could give her answers.

The fresh air was a welcome change from the stifling warmth of the bunker, even if it was raining. She found a spot inside an open hangar to sit and let the wind cool her down. Moving around was exhausting and she was sweating heavily from the journey.

There were no ships outside or droids wandering between the entrances. The two-hundred-strong rebel army had been decimated and perhaps twenty or so of the surviving hundred had remained on  D’Qar . 

Rey closed her eyes in the hopes of feeling some connection to her lingering presence. It was still there, that warmth that had lived beside her since she was born. She reached out blindly into the darkness with her hand splayed open and felt warm fingers entwine with hers. A man’s hand; larger than hers and firmer, older. It brought her immense comfort. It was rare that it ever reached back.

“I’m so alone,” she told the invisible figure. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

The hand squeezed hers in comfort but it said nothing, like always. She’d learned not to expect anything. Almost as if it was reluctant to let go, the presence took its hand away slowly. Behind her, Rey heard footsteps and she opened her eyes.

Leia smiled softly at her. 

“It’s good to see you up and about, my dear,” Leia greeted. “May I join you?”

Rey nodded stiffly and shuffled to the side to let the General sit on the crate with her. Leia had known as well. It was difficult for Rey to breathe calmly. 

“Where’s your leg? Is it broken?”

“No. I took it off. I hate it, it’s too heavy and it hurts.” Rey brought her knee up and rested her hands and chin on top. For a moment, she moved the stump out of habit and brought it back down with a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry, it’s all we could do. Han is-”

“Yeah, making money. I know. Luke’s been telling me the same thing every week.”

Leia sighed. “It’s a very difficult time for all of us, Rey. I know how you feel, about what we kept from you, but your safety was paramount. And your father’s.”

Rey’s head snapped up. “My father?”

“We had to protect you all. If  Snoke had known about a living Kenobi heir, you would’ve been taken with Ben too.”

“Probably for the best. I wouldn’t have been betrayed by everyone.”

Leia raised her hand to place it on Rey’s shoulder but changed her mind at the last moment. “You were not betrayed, Rey. It was for your protection. And you’re very wrong. Losing you and my son... I can barely stand losing Ben. I can’t lose you either.”

“It’s not about you,” Rey mumbled angrily. “I’ve lost everything. Everything. My body is broken and I can’t ever fight again. I’m useless.”

“You’re right, it’s not about me. Nothing has ever been  centered on me, Rey. I have given my life to the Alliance, to peace. That includes keeping you far from  Snoke .”

“ Snoke’s dead.”

Leia’s fists clenched in her lap. “Thank the stars for that. One less evil in this world. Rey, I know you hate me, and Luke. I understand your anger, but you must understand why we did it.”

“Would you do it again?”

“I... I can’t say. The past cannot be undone. It’s the future we must look to.”

“I don’t have a future.”

Leia couldn’t help scoffing. Rey stifled a glare, she knew better. “You are alive, Rey. And as long as you plan to remain alive, you have a future.”

“And what exactly do I have to look forward to?”

“You’re not alone in this world, Rey.”

“I feel alone.”

Despite the obvious anger swirling around Rey like a storm, Leia dared to rest a hand on her shoulder. Behind her, Luke was watching them quietly.

“I mean it, Rey. You are not alone, quite literally. Your parents-”

“Leia, there you are!” Luke interrupted quickly, stepping away from his hiding spot. “I was looking for you.”

Leia glanced back at him and then to Rey with an odd look. In a quieter voice, she said, “Come find me tonight.” She got up and turned to Luke. “What now?”

“Admiral  Ackbar’s report came in.”

“Right. Of course. Rey, don’t strain yourself.” Leia gestured for Luke to lead. “Alright, let’s see what he has to say.”

Rey watched them go and turned back to the heavy curtain of rain. A warm arm settled across her shoulders and she was pulled closer to someone who wasn’t there but trying desperately to keep Rey from the brink.

* * *

That night, Rey found the General in her private quarters. It wasn’t a classy room but Leia made it work somehow. Rey knocked before entering and Leia looked up from an old holograph hovering above her palm.

“Come in, my dear. I want to show you something,” Leia said as she patted the space beside her on the bed. It felt more than strange sitting there, even if Rey had known her for so long. This was Leia’s private space and Rey felt like an outsider. “Take a look.”

Displayed on the holograph was the Jedi council, taken long before even Leia had been born. Luke had taught Rey about the Jedi’s past during the Clone Wars, their successes and failures, but he’d never shown her their faces. 

“It was given to me from an old friend on Naboo years ago.” Leia pointed at one of the men. He looked like one of the youngest in the bunch, with shaggy hair and an arrogant grin. He had his hands on a tiny Togruta girl’s shoulders who beamed with joy. “Ben’s grandfather. Anakin.”

“Lord Vader.”

Leia smiled tightly. “Yes. My father,” she reminded. “He was a troubled man but he turned back to the light and saved Luke. We all owe him for the peace that came after the Emperor’s fall.” 

She moved her finger over to the Jedi beside him, who appeared wiser and older than Anakin but mirrored that grin like they were partners in crime. Rey found herself smiling back at him.

“Who was he?”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi. Your grandfather, Rey. The best of the whole lot, so I was told.”

Rey took the holograph in her hands. “Why did you never tell me this?”

“Snoke began talking to Ben when he was just a boy, telling him things, lying to him. The bounty hunter who brought you gave us a warning.” Leia took Rey’s metal hand and examined the spring-loaded digits. “Never to let Snoke know your blood.”

“What does it even matter?”

“Your grandfather was one of the strongest Jedi of his generation. His strength is carried in you. Snoke would’ve used that power to make more  Sith . That’s what he did to Ben.” 

“And Ben would’ve told  Snoke ,” Rey finished as it dawned on her just how much of a mess her adopted family was.

“Perhaps not in words but I’m certain  Snoke never left my boy’s mind for a moment. He was always listening and spying.”

Rey shuddered. If that was true,  Snoke would’ve known her intentions towards him. She could’ve died without ever achieving her goal.

“But he’s dead now,” Leia reminded firmly. “And you have nothing more to fear.”

Rey didn’t mention  Kylo . Now was not the time to bring up her anger. 

“What did you mean, about my parents?”

“I think they are still out there. I want you to go with Luke-”

“No.” Rey shook her head. “I can’t.”

“He did his best.”

“ Kylo showed me the truth. He showed me what Luke did and I want nothing to do with him.” Rey handed back the holograph. “I need time to think. If my real family is out there, I have to find them. Alone.”

Leia pushed the holograph back into Rey’s hands. “Keep it. I have no use for it now. But you can’t travel alone, not like this.”

“I can and I will.” Rey paused and glanced at Leia. “Thank you for this.”

She stood with the help of her staff and bowed her head. She couldn’t wait to escape the stifling room. Once out in the hall, Rey took deep breaths and tipped her head back so the tears wouldn’t fall. When she looked around the miserable place, Rey could not find a single reason to stick around any longer. The Resistance didn’t need a cripple.

Everything she owned was shoved into a small crate but when she looked at the door, Rey realised the struggle of carrying it in her condition. There was no way she was scraping it across the ground noisily so she could leave a handy trail right to the hangars.

Instead, she enlisted in  Threepio’s help. The golden droid was recharging, not that he really needed it with the lack of work to do. When she unplugged him from the system, his yellow eyes started to shine.

“Lady Rey, good evening,” he greeted with a swing of his arms. Clearly the common recharges were making him excitable.

“Hey,  Threepio . I need a favour. Come with me.”

The droid followed happily. However, he was soon disappointed to be turned into a luggage carrier. He’d hoped for something a little more interesting. 

“Are you going on a trip, my lady?”

Rey shrugged as she scanned the underground hangar for a suitable ship to take that wouldn’t go amiss. Something quick but not painted with Alliance emblems and colours. With all the patrols and blockades out there, she needed a good ship. Sadly, the only thing that fit all her criteria was parked at the very back gathering dust.

“This one,” she chose reluctantly. “Toss that crate behind the pilot’s seat.”

Threepio gave the ship a suspicious look. “Are you quite sure, my lady? The E-Wing is notoriously tricky to handle and flawed.”

“If it gets me to  Tatooine in one piece, I don’t care.”

The droid reached up and put the crate down carefully inside. “That seems unwise in your condition. Shall I inform Master Luke?”

“No. Don’t bother.”

He climbed back down. “In that case, I wish you all the best on your journey. Though I must warn you,  Tatooine is quite dangerous.”

“I know,  Threepio . I was born there.”

“My condolences, my lady.” He stepped aside as Rey braced herself on the ladder and swung her leg up into the cockpit with a grunt. She unscrewed her staff into two pieces so it could fit beside her. “Well, I suppose this is goodbye for now. I will eagerly await your return, my lady. Safe travels.”

Rey waved weakly at him. “Take care of yourself,  Threepio .”

The droid retreated to a safer location as Rey fired up the old, unused engines and waited for the platform to raise her to ground level. At least the rain had eased up, though it was little concern to her as she shot away from  D’Qar .

Finally, in the vacuum of space, Rey felt calm. Without an  Astromec to help her fly, she programmed in the coordinates to the desert planet and sat back in relief. Whatever was ahead of her, she could handle it. She’d survived this, after all.

* * *

Leia knew her actions would anger her brother and she sat ready to hear the onslaught of questions and worries. His footsteps hurried outside her door and as if he was trying hard to control himself, his knock sounded rather polite.

“Come in.”

“Rey’s gone,” Luke said immediately. “She took off without a word.”

“She’s a capable adult,” Leia argued, undoing her braids for the night. It was getting too late. 

“Yes, she’s very capable, but she’s also missing two limbs and not thinking rationally! Are you just going to let her keep running off? You saw what happened last time, what it led to!”

Leia stood up sharply and her brother took a hurried step back. 

“What do you expect me to do? Lock the poor girl in her room? There is nothing we could ever say to her to ease her mind. Rey needs to see it for herself.”

“See what? Graves? She was safe with us and now she’s running right back to-”

“Home. She’s going home, Luke.” Leia slowly sat back down and looked at her aged hands. Under her breath, she mumbled, “I was never meant to be a mother.”

“She means the world to me. And to Han. For  kriff’s sake, Rey is the symbol of the Resistance.”

“Maybe that’s the problem, Luke. Maybe we put too much pressure on our children. Let her go her own way. It’s time for her to learn about her past.”

Luke sighed softly. “I don’t want Rey to get hurt any more than she already has been. She’s so young.”

“I know. But it’s her decision. She’ll come back to us, just like Ben will.”

Luke said nothing. He had never told her everything that had happened on  Starkiller . He couldn’t bear to look Leia in the eyes anymore, even when she spoke the truth. It was time to trust Rey to be on her own but Luke was not ready for that.


	5. Chapter 5

** Chapter 5 **

Poe had intended of visiting the holding cells in search of this vault-breaker. However, he hadn’t planned on being put  _ in _ the cell. Normally, the victim of a stun-blast assault was not thrown into prison but Rose had told the officers some lie about stealing from her. The result was they’d both been locked up.

He glared at her from across the hall. At least they hadn’t put her with him. Poe wasn’t feeling too confident that he’d win a fight against the rowdy girl. She glared back at him.

“I hope you have a plan for getting us out of here,” Poe snarled as he pulled at the fortified door to no avail.

“You’re the Resistance guy. Surely you would know,” Rose replied, cocking one hip as she crossed her arms.

“You shot me! In broad daylight! Why would you even do that?”

“Because you lied to me! I put a tracker on your ship and you-”

“So you’re stalking me now? Okay, so that’s-” Poe began counting on his fingers. “Assault, stalking, theft, kidnapping, and you locked up my droid in a cage!”

“And if I hadn’t done that, I’d get no closer to finding the truth. Plus, you stole that drive.” She pointed at him as though she was perfectly innocent. Poe foamed at the mouth.

“My drive. Mine. Not yours. If you had just left me alone, neither of us would be in here!”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your lover’s quarrel, but for the love of the maker, would you two  _ shut _ _ up _ ?” The prisoner who’d been sat quietly trying to nap upright simply couldn’t handle it anymore. “From what I can tell, you’re both idiots. So could you please, pretty please, be quiet? Some of us don’t have long.”

Poe weakly raised a hand in defiance. “She is  _ not _ my lover. More like the worst migraine I’ve ever had.”

The scruffy prisoner, a man who looked older than Poe but that could’ve been the messy beard, did not look impressed. 

“Dude, I don’t care. I’m literally waiting to be executed.”

Poe faltered. “What?” 

“Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration but-” the man wagged a finger with certainty. “I am facing a life sentence. They don’t like people snooping into their credits. This is the one sector of space without any government overlords so it’s not all exactly legally obtained credits. Don’t really get why they care, it’s not like they’d really notice. So even though the law says I’m going to jail, they’ll probably kill me the second I get there.”

“You’re the one that broke into the vault?”

“Well, yeah. Allegedly, of course.” The man winked.

Poe suddenly clapped his hands together joyfully. “Brilliant. I’ve been looking for you.”

He came closer and pulled out the data drive. The prisoner took it and eyed the device with a frown.

“I’ve got a job for you. I need that thing decrypted.”

“How much are you paying?”

“Whatever you want, and I’ll help you get out of here.” 

A beep interrupted him. 

Poe reached down into his boot. Stitched into the leather lining was a small pocket, and inside was a comm link to BB-8. The droid had found its way to him. Poe finally had an escape plan.

“Can you do it?”

“Imperial data drive, looks to be from the early years of the Empire. It probably came from a ship. Yeah...” The man held up the device and pointed out the grooves on the sides. “That there would be inserted into the main console on the bridge. Rare. Very rare.”

“How do you know that?”

He shrugged. “Pops was an Imperial. Had a couple bring your kid to work days.  _ Relax _ , I didn’t say I was one of the bastards.”

Poe took the device back warily. “Well, if you can do it, I’ll forgive that part.”

“Sure. So come on, let’s go.”

Poe held up the  comm link. “BB-8, can you hear me, buddy?”

The droid beeped back.

“I’m alright but I’m gonna need some assistance down in the holding cells. Track my signal.” Poe glanced down at the prisoner. “I’m Poe, by the way.”

“Let’s go with DJ for now. I’m not a fan of names.”

Poe kept his concerns to himself and waited for BB-8 to come and rescue them. He didn’t need this guy to be his type, just to do the job. He glared over at Rose. He wanted to leave her in there, but when the droid came around the corner, Poe knew he’d let her go. She was incredibly annoying but Poe couldn’t exactly blame her when he did reckless things all the time.

“BB-8, it’s good to see you, bud. Get this door open for me.”

The droid beeped happily and reached up to the locking system, easily bypassing the security protocols. DJ laughed.

“Clever little droid you’ve got there.”

Poe nodded. “He’s the best.”

The door unlocked and DJ strode past Poe with a flourish of his arms. “Ah, the air smells even better here somehow. Maybe it’s you, trigger finger.” He grinned at Rose.

She flipped him off.

“Touchy. Alright. Well, Poe, I think we should move.”

Poe closed the door behind them. It might buy them a few precious moments. He stopped in front of Rose. She raised unimpressed brows at him.

“Go on, walk away. You sure do like leaving me behind.”

“BB-8, help Rose, would you? And you, sweetheart, are going to stop shooting me. We are not a team. I’m doing this because I’m nice. Once we’re outside, you go your own way and I’ll go mine. Got it?”

“Fine.”

DJ had already wandered off. Poe and Rose jogged to catch up and found him in the evidence locker gathering his belongings. He vaguely gestured to where Poe’s blaster was, and Rose’s too. Rose suddenly gasped.

“Oh, don’t worry, he’s just sleeping,” DJ reassured as he kicked at the unconscious guard’s foot. “I may be a thief but I ain’t a murderer. Come on, exit’s this way. We don’t want to be going through the front door.”

The alarm went off.

“Well, I guess we’ve been made. I suggest you two move your asses.” DJ began running down one of the corridors without checking if the others were following. He came to a locked door so he turned to whistle at the droid. “Hey, beach-ball, come open this.”

BB-8 reared back in offense. He let out a series of short and rough beeps, words he had learned from R2-D2's colourful vocabulary. DJ gestured at Poe.

“What’s he saying? Can he open it or not?”

Poe snorted. “He can. BB-8, go unlock that door quickly.”

The droid mumbled several more insults even as he worked the mechanism. Poe nudged him with his foot to quiet him. It was a good thing DJ did not speak Binary. Poe would certainly need to keep an eye on BB-8 when he was around R2.

The door unlocked despite the droid’s short temper. DJ once again did not wait for them to follow. He sprinted out into the street behind the holding facility and ran around the corner into the evening crowd. Poe glanced at Rose briefly and doubtfully.

As they tried to blend in with the people, Poe realised he’d lost sight of DJ. 

“I think you got tricked,” Rose said matter-of-factly as she crossed her arms. She had a bad habit of looking incredibly smug and annoying. “He just wanted to escape. Want to share with me why he was so important?”

“Because by now, everyone who has held this has been killed and I need someone who can see where this was used. I was told to come find a code-breaker here.”

“He did say it came from the Empire.”

“That doesn’t help me much. They’re all dead, plus if this from that time- why make such a huge deal out of it? It’s not like they’re around anymore. The First Order despises what the Empire was.”

“Then at least we know it’s not from them.” Rose pinched Poe’s sleeve and dragged him to the side of the road as a flood of late-night party goers barged through. “Look, I meant what I said about working together. I’m sorry I shot you.”

“Again.”

“Yes.  _ Again _ . But all that aside, I have to find out who killed my father. That is the only thing I have left. You have your mission, I have mine. Can we please work together? As a team, not trying to ditch me on  Jakku .”

Poe sighed. “Without a decryption, we’ll have to see its activation locations. Maybe it can tell us the source. But where are we going to find a system to tell us that?”

“ Coruscant . It’s the heart of the galaxy. If we’re going to need to hire someone or find a machine, it will be in the lower levels, surely.”

Poe looked at her incredulously. “Ah, yes, let’s go right where the First Order is. In fact, why don’t we buy some red paper and a bow and we can personally hand deliver to the Supreme Leader? Maybe he’ll give us a nice pat on the back and forgive all my crimes! Or maybe, we will be fed alive to  rancors and we’ll have an agonising death!”

“Are you always this sarcastic?”

“Yes!” 

Even BB-8 confirmed it with a chirpy whistle. Rose rolled her eyes.

“Well, do you have a better idea?”

“No...” Poe admitted reluctantly. “But it’s risky. Really risky. Look, you may get off with a slap on the wrist but I won’t. I have a target on me. No questions, no holding cells. I get a blaster shot to the head.”

“Why do they want you dead so badly?”

Poe smirked. “Because I keep breaking out of their cells and freeing people. And I may or may not have seriously offended their General. And I blew up their oscillator on  Starkiller base. They really do not like me.” 

“Yeah, I’m beginning to see why. But look, if we do this, we do it together. Promise me.”

Rose held up her pinkie finger.

“Wait, seriously? Are we- Okay.” Poe hooked his pinkie with hers. “We stick together this time.”

“Good. Now give me the device.”

“Not happening. I’ll stay on your ship with you. In fact, it’s probably for the best if I don’t fly into  Coruscant with an X-Wing.” He let go of her finger and looked down at his droid. “BB-8, you take the X-Wing, keep it in orbit out of sight of the First Order.”

“Or we take a freighter, carry both our ships into  Coruscant ,” Rose suggested with a shrug.

“It could work, but no offence, your ship is a piece of junk.”

“Thanks.”

“I said no offence.”

“I still took offence. Come on, let’s just get back to our ships and figure it all out away from the crowd. At this rate, all of Canto Bight will know our plan.”

Poe appreciated that Rose was willing to part with her supplies. He was starving. He kicked his feet up on the console board and dug into the rations she’d handed up. Rose eyed him angrily and slapped at his legs.

“Get off! I don’t know how you Resistance guys treat your ships but I won’t have you putting your dirty boots everywhere.”

Poe’s face reddened as he folded his legs back down. She had a mean slap. His thigh stung. 

“So, how are we getting in? I heard  Coruscant had a security belt around it now. Dozens of Resurgent-class Destroyers”

Rose reached to one of the storage containers in the wall and pulled out a key tab. She threw it in Poe’s lap.

“This will get us in,” she said confidently. “It all depends whether you want to go with my approach and take both our ships down. Yours has firepower and speed. Mine will blend in. Could come in handy.”

“We need to keep a low profile. I’m sorry, how the hell did you get a captain’s key? How long have you had this?”

“Why does that matter? It will work. It tricks their system into thinking our ship is one of theirs.”

“I know that. And yes, it does matter. They are incredibly rare. You’d have to kill a captain to get one of these!”

Rose shook her head. “I didn’t kill anyone. It was given to my father. I don’t know who gave it to him, same as that drive.”

“Well, then we better use it well. Can you get us a freighter?”

“There’s a refuelling station not too far from  Mandalore . We can buy one there. I have a few thousand credits.”

“I do too.”

She gave him a rare smile. “Good. Then we’ll manage just fine.”

Poe really hoped she was right.

* * *

Back on  Talok , deep within the private chambers of the deceased Supreme Leader  Snoke ,  Kylo pondered his next move. For once in his whole life, he was free to do as he pleased and he’d certainly enjoyed the relaxation with his Knights but now, he thought it was time to think about the future. Specifically the future of the  Sith . 

Why have just one apprentice, and other potential candidates waiting on the side, when you could have dozens of Sith warriors all trained to the same strength? 

Finn was only the beginning.  Kylo had witnessed a vision: an army of Sith. They would crush the remaining Jedi in one fell swoop and take the galaxy as theirs, all under  Kylo’s rule. He’d be the greatest and most powerful  Sith Lord to ever live. But first, he needed those soldiers otherwise his army would not be very impressive.

Perhaps it was fate that  Snoke had come up with a similar plan in the past and already did the hardest part for him; finding these Force users. Just as  Kylo had been isolated and chosen as a young child, others had been handpicked. Back-up plans. In case  Kylo turned out to be weak or a disappointment. They would now have a greater purpose. 

Kylo bitterly glared around the main chamber he’d upturned and ransacked in search of the lists Snoke had kept. His vision had been clear and he found a small data drive buried in the wall behind a First Order flag. When he inserted it into a terminal, it wasn’t even encrypted. Snoke was sloppy. But regardless of his dead master’s arrogance, Kylo read through the files. He wondered if his name was written somewhere, what attributes stood out among the dozens of others who’d come to this temple and not survived the gruelling trials to become Snoke’s apprentice. 

He found himself halfway down the list. Ben Organa –  Chandrila . The sight of his dead name caused him to lash out against the surface of the desk, denting it in his disgust. How he hated to see it and be reminded of the family he’d cut ties from. What distracted him from crushing the desk to splinters was Armitage’s name, just a bit further down. No wonder Snoke had wanted to keep the General alive but he was certainly not a contender for a  Sith Lord. It did not matter now. Hux was not a real threat, just a noisy dog with a tendency to bite once in a while.

The others interested him.  Kylo swore to these faceless names that he would never pit them against one another for rank, like some barbaric monster. He would train them properly, encouraging their strength in the Dark Side. He promised to do better than his master. 

He took the drive and went to find Finn. What better time to start than now? 

Finn was  saber -deep in an unlucky droid’s chest plate when Kylo sought him out, and in the midst of duelling against  Vicrul too. A tough challenge. One Kylo was surprised to see Finn winning. The Knight was the eldest but his age was an advantage instead of a setback. He was brimming with experience and a lethality that mirrored Kylo’s on bad days. His exact age was unknown but Kylo had not seen any physical changes in the man for the whole decade he’d known him.

When he was too intoxicated to filter his words,  Vicrul spoke of stories in his past that made no sense. He was far too young to have lived through his tales, but his agility and skills did not portray that.

Kylo took a seat on the steps of the courtyard and watched his apprentice throw  Vicrul off balance. Finn had quickly dealt with the droids, leaving only one opponent left and  Vicrul was not giving up easily. Despite the warm comradery the Knights shared with Finn, none of them went easy on him. If Finn wanted to win, he’d have to work for that victory.

The blue  saber clashed with the  Sith’s red one, and it was relieving to see Finn growing more comfortable in his attacks. Holding back would only keep him weak. He needed to be stronger and for that, he needed to fight like his life depended on it.  Vicrul , on the other hand, was barely breaking a sweat. The longer  Kylo looked, the more he saw that  Vicrul wasn’t putting in that much effort to defeat Finn after all.

“He won’t learn if you go easy,”  Kylo warned, as he unclasped his dark cloak. Even beneath the shade, the sun was unbearably hot and the moisture in the air was making him sweat almost instantly. At least here he didn’t need to hide his face. The helmet would’ve constricted him too much.

From the state of Finn’s borrowed navy-blue shirt, he’d been fighting for quite some time under the unrelenting heat. He’d wisely slipped some fingerless gloves on to keep a better grip on his weapon, and he’d lightened his layers like his opponent. Most of  Vicrul’s heavy armour and dark robes were thrown on the steps, leaving his muscled arms bare. They were covered in strange swirling black tattoos which reached up his neck, curling like talons over his sharp jawline, and continued to trail beneath his shirt. He’d even removed his helmet, showing off short, scruffy dark hair. When he spun out of the way of Finn’s attacks, the skirts of his mid-thigh tunic moved elegantly like he was a dancer instead of a ferocious fighter. 

Vicrul nodded in  Kylo’s direction to state he’d heard the  Sith’s comment but he couldn’t allow himself to be distracted for too long. Finn was unpredictable. He had no set of patterns. His retaliation could either be thoughtful or enraged.  Vicrul was likely provoking that anger, judging from his smug grin. 

When he found the chance to assault instead of defend, he made Finn suffer. Under  Kylo’s watchful gaze, the battle’s outcome switched almost instantly and Finn found it exceptionally hard to block all of Vicrul’s swings and slashes. There was unspoken strength in the Knight’s well-maintained body. Finn barely avoided a scalding cut on his shoulder and his lack of preparation made him stumble. 

He would’ve fallen backwards but  Vicrul’s gloved hand whipped out and grabbed the front of his shirt at the last second, keeping him on his feet. The Knight’s  saber came scarily close to Finn’s throat, as if  Vicrul planned to slit it open. Finn blinked up at him in fear.

“You’re getting better but not good enough,”  Vicrul teased as he turned the  saber off and shoved Finn back a step with a palm to the centre of his chest. When Finn swallowed nervously,  Vicrul chuckled, the tips of his sharp teeth showing. “Relax, kid, I won’t kill you. Not unless you give me a good reason.”

“Right...” Finn glanced at  Kylo as the  Sith Lord stood and approached. “I’ll do better next time.”

Vicrul clapped his shoulder with a good-natured grin. “I know you will.” He turned to Kylo and stretched his arms out to the side. “You up for a round, Ren? I still got some fight in me just for you.”

Kylo shook his head, much to  Vicrul’s exaggerated disappointment. “No, not this time. I need a word with Finn.”

“Sure thing, boss. Maybe next time.”  Vicrul nodded towards Finn and bowed his head at  Kylo , before he went to gather his things and seek out one of the natural pools to cool down.

Finn watched him go and deflated. “He’s real tough. Thought I was winning for once.”

“You’ll get there,”  Kylo reassured. “It’s not fun to lose but I can’t have them treating you like a youngling. If you can’t defend yourself, you’ll never be strong.”

“I know, I know. I’d just like to win for once. Droids are easy, they’re not even a challenge anymore.”

“And a month ago, you couldn’t fight a training droid. You’re improving day by day.”

Finn smiled despite how grumpy he felt. “Thanks. You come here just to cheer me up?”

“I have a plan. I need your help executing it.” Kylo gestured for Finn to sit before his apprentice could pass out. At least they’d been smart enough to leave water bottles nearby.  Kylo threw one at him.

“Alright, go on.” Finn chugged half the bottle down. The water here tasted better than anything filtered through the  _ Finalizer’s _ recycling system.

“I think it’s time we made something out of this place. Used our strength and knowledge to teach others. There are people out there who are just like you. They don’t know what’s happening to them, or how to control the Force. They need guidance.”

“You want to help them?”

“Yes. I do.”  Kylo leaned back and sighed. “You were scared, weren’t you? When it first happened?”

“Terrified.”

“I was too,” he admitted. “I think any sane person would be. But I was lucky enough to have people around me who knew what was happening. So were you.”

“I’m just glad it’s only you now. Not  Snoke .”

Kylo nodded. “So am I, Finn. So am I. And we can help these people. Snoke made a list of names, potential recruits. His plans for them aren’t mine. This is not survival of the fittest. I want to help them all equally, like I do with you. For that, I have to leave and find them. I’d like you to come with me, Finn. Show them that even if they’re scared, we can help them. You’ll be living proof.”

The way Finn looked at  Kylo was unlike any other time before. He truly respected the  Sith Lord in that moment. His idea was born out of kindness rather than greed like  Snoke . At least, that’s how Finn saw it whether or not it was the truth. 

“Is that my purpose?” He asked softly. 

“It can be, if that’s what you want. I can’t do it alone.”  Kylo jerked his head back towards the temple. “It’s not as if they have a loving touch. Not like you. And, if that doesn’t convince you, you’ll finally get a break from all of this.”

“Honestly? I  kinda like it here.” Finn chuckled and started taking off his gloves. “I get up when I want, eat what I want- I can spend all day out here training or down by the water. No officers to yell at me either. I don’t know about you but this place is paradise to me.”

Kylo placed a comforting hand on his forearm. “It can be like that every day. And not just for you. I’ve checked where some of these people are; they’re not fortunate like us.”

“Then we should help then. I’m with you, master. Absolutely. If we’ve got a chance to make people’s lives a little easier and bring some clarity, we should do it.”

“I’m glad you agree. I have to make the necessary preparations but perhaps we can leave this evening.”

“Sure. The sooner the better.”

Kylo smiled and stood. Finn looked more excited than  Kylo felt, though of course he was imagining having new friends. As he and  Kylo split ways to get ready,  Kylo knew he’d made the right choice with Finn. The young man was far more bubbly and kind-hearted than any  Sith before him, but  Kylo saw his potential for more. After all, it was easier to draw strangers in with someone like Finn at his side. The people would come and stay because they wanted to, not because a blaster was held to their heads. Once they were settled like Finn, they would give Ren their undying loyalty.

His predecessor had been kind too. Talked with sweet words and told  Kylo enticing promises so that the boy had full trust in him.  Kylo was not blind to his own actions, or  Snoke’s methods. He was walking in those same footsteps but he was not  Snoke . He would not turn against his own apprentice. He would not trick them.

He was nervous but optimistic.

Later that afternoon, the shuttle was ready to head off. Having gone on countless missions,  Kylo knew how to prep a ship with supplies quickly and efficiently. He didn’t have the same expectations out of Finn, and yet, the ex- stormtrooper was sharply on time and ready to go just as  Kylo did a final check. His trooper training made him a reliable soldier.

Kylo didn’t quite jump out of his skin but his heart quickened at Finn’s sudden presence behind him. He chalked it up to being distracted by the ship’s navigator. He’d installed a new system, faster and more advanced than any on the market- mostly because he had not acquired it legally. But who would dare stand against the Supreme Leader? The title was beginning to grow on him, if only for the free pass it gave him- not so much the responsibilities of leading the First Order. That, he left to the General.

“Where to, master?” Finn called out as he carefully stowed the meagre belongings he’d been gifted during his stay. Most of his clothes were throw- aways that the Knights no longer needed or wore. If it fit, he took it gratefully. Meanwhile, Poe’s jacket was safely folded in a box beneath his bed. 

He sat down in the co-pilot's seat.

“ Jedha . At least, that’s the first stop. We have many.”  Kylo reached into a bag beside him and passed Finn a data pad. “I transferred the list onto here. It’s easier for us that way.”

“Is that far?”

“Not very. Few hours. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just...” Finn shook his head as he scrolled down the dozens of names. “ Snoke wanted all these people? What for?”

“Back-up plans. In case his apprentice failed,”  Kylo answered dryly. “Are you ready?”

Finn knew better than to push. “Yeah. As I’ll ever be.”

Kylo busied himself with taking the ship off the ground. His hands moved without needing to look where to go, and Finn found himself rather jealous at the ease of piloting. It did not appear easy. Finn would not have been able to remember the pattern of button-pressing and lever-pulling long enough to take off, let alone glide smoothly up into the vacuum of space. It seemed as if  Kylo was part of the ship itself, just another component in the machine. He was certain that if he checked the  Sith’s mind, it would not even be focused on the controls. It came as naturally to  Kylo as breathing, and it was an impressive sight to behold.

“Would it be possible...” Finn trailed off before he made too much fuss. As absent-minded as  Kylo looked, he’d still heard him clearly. Finn  _ was _ sitting right beside him.

“Would it be possible to- what?” 

“I want to know how to do all that.” Finn nodded at the controls.

“Fly?”

“Yeah. Fly. It’s not part of regular trooper training. I couldn’t even get a speeder going.”

Kylo put the ship into auto-pilot and sat back. “I can. It’s not as difficult as it looks. But not right now. We have a mission to complete.”

“Yeah, of course. I was just wondering.”

Finn tried not to look too disappointed, even though he already knew the answer was going to be no. Kylo liked to teach but he wouldn’t throw out all his knowledge immediately. Some part of Finn believed that Kylo wanted to keep him grounded too.


	6. Chapter 6

** Chapter  ** ** 6 **

Jedha was under First Order occupation but they both noticed a strange sense of misery rooted in the folks around them. It seemed older, deeper. Perhaps it had to do with the enormous crater in the side of the planet- Finn wondered if an asteroid had impacted. The air was thick and dusty, and he found it hard to breathe correctly without inhaling the dust.

Either way, people around them were distrustful and Finn found himself averting his gaze from theirs. 

“Do you know where we’re going exactly?” He asked after some time wandering a busy town. He stuck close to the  Sith’s side, too worried about getting separated in the crowd of merchants.  Kylo had not stopped to ask for help or directions.

“I can sense them. Can’t you?”  Kylo looked back over his shoulder and stopped.

Good thing Finn had been vigilant or his face would’ve met the  Sith’s back. He shrugged up at the visor.

“I don’t even know what I’m supposed to sense,” he admitted.

“Others like you. Can’t you feel my presence?”

“I’m looking right at you,” he pointed out dryly. “But I guess, sometimes- I can tell where you are in the temple. I mean, it feels like a guess but an accurate one. Does that make sense at all?”

Kylo nodded. “It does. Focus on the person you’re trying to find and let the Force guide you to them.”

“I’ll try.”

“Mastering the Force is not achieved in a few weeks. It takes years, a lifetime for some.”

Finn frowned. “I hope I don’t need  _ that _ long.”

“You won’t. Come, we’re wasting time.”

Finn trusted  Kylo’s senses more than his own but as he kept close, he allowed himself to try the same technique. Whenever he needed to find the  Sith , he could tell where he was- as if  Kylo had a tracker on him linked directly to Finn’s mind. Finn had chalked it up to spectacular guessing-work. Perhaps it was far more complex than that.

He couldn’t quite pinpoint where they were going but he did feel something, like spotting a light in the fog- the closer he came to it, the clearer it became. Finn knew he should learn to pay more attention. One of these days, he’d come crashing into  Kylo . He blinked and stared up at the small home.

It was late already. Far too late for a friendly visit. They could’ve been asleep already. None of that stopped  Kylo from knocking on the front door.

“Uh, helmet?” Finn mumbled.

“What?”

“You look a little scary with-” Finn didn’t get to finish as the door opened and a woman peeked out through a small gap.

“Yes?” She stared up in fear at  Kylo and in a split-second decision, Finn decided to take the lead.

“Hi, sorry to bother you so late. I’m Finn. Are you Mrs Sal?”

“Yes... I am, what is this? What do you want?”

Finn smiled softly. “Could we come in? It’s about your son-”

Although she’d looked scared before, Mrs Sal was now downright terrified. Before Finn could continue, she slammed the door in his face and locked bolts in place. Finn threw his arms up. Kylo looked down at him. Finn could almost  _ hear _ his unimpressed, judgemental expression.

“Now, what?”

Kylo held up a hand and a moment later, the door opened by itself. He strode inside confidently and Finn was left on the doorstep. He checked the street nervously and followed Kylo. Mrs Sal yelped and stumbled back against a wall.

“Get out of my house!”

“We’re not here to hurt you.”  Kylo took off his helmet. “Please, let us talk. Your son is not in danger. We came here to help.”

Mrs Sal eyed Kylo warily and then glanced to Finn. If she’d been near a blaster, she would’ve dived for it.

“Are you Jedi? We had your kind in  Jedha before and I don’t-”

“I assure you, we’re not Jedi, Mrs Sal.” Kylo gestured at the couch and armchairs set in the corner. “Perhaps you should sit down.”

She didn’t move one bit. 

“Alright. Have it your way. Your son can use the Force.”

“I don’t know what-”

“There’s no point hiding it for us. I could sense his power before we landed. He’s very strong but he can’t control it, can he?”

At last, Mrs Sal seemed to calm down. “I’m saving money so we can leave this place. It’s cursed. It did this to him.”

“No, your son was chosen. It’s not a curse. You should be proud to have a child like that. But you don’t understand what’s happening to him, do you?”

“No one does. I had him checked over and over again. I don’t know what to do.”

“We do. We can help. That’s why we came here. Could you bring your son downstairs?”

She nodded weakly and wrapped her arms around herself. She was halfway up the stairs when she found her boy eavesdropping.

Kylo took a seat on the armchair and Finn hovered close by. When Mrs Sal came back, her son glared at the intruders. He couldn’t have been older than seven, with tousled blond hair and a mean look in his eyes. Kylo held back a chuckle at the thought of the child fighting him to defend his mother despite the fact he was cowering behind her legs. 

She lifted and carried the boy to the couch, and sat him down in her lap.

“You were listening to us, weren’t you,  Halik ?” Kylo asked, leaning forward. “I’m Kylo. This is Finn. We’re just like you.”

“What happened to your eye?” The kid blurted out, still glaring defiantly. His mother went red and shushed him.

“It’s alright, curiosity is a good thing. A Jedi tried to kill me. I survived.” It satisfied the kid. “Now, let’s talk about you. You’re very strong.”

“I can make things float.”  Halik demonstrated by lifting a vase from the low table between them. Finn smiled at his effort. “But mom says I shouldn’t do it.”

“It’s for your own safety,” she argued softly, kissing the top of his head. 

“Your mother is right to be careful. There’s a lot of bad people out there.  Halik , when did you start being able to do that?”

“A few weeks ago. I broke my arm playing with my friends. See?”  Halik pulled back the sleeve of his night-shirt. His left forearm was bandaged neatly. “Doesn’t hurt much now. But when I started feeling better, I could do it. I made my dad’s speeder lift up. Do you want to see?”

Mrs Sal sighed. “ Halik , no. It was an accident. He fell into the road.”

Kylo frowned. “Only recently?”

Halik nodded eagerly, his head bobbing with excitement. He made the vase hover again because he wanted to show off. 

“Has anyone else come here looking for him? Perhaps a long while back?”

Mrs Sal frowned and shook her head. “Not that I know of. But I am at work all the time and  Halik is in school. It’s possible people came knocking and I missed them.”

“What about your husband?”

“He’s... no longer around. He enlisted with the First Order two weeks ago, to try and pay for  Halik ’s medical bills.” She gestured around the room. “We don’t exactly have a lot of credits. The doctor needed to clean out a bunch of shrapnel and mend the bone. It’s not cheap in  Jedha to have that sort of treatment.”

Kylo turned to  Halik . “Has anyone approached you? After school maybe?”

Halik shrugged. 

“How exactly do you plan to help us?” Mrs Sal asked.

“We’ll teach your son how to control his powers. But first, I need a word with my apprentice. If you don’t mind.” 

Kylo stood and led Finn into another room, and shut the door behind him with the Force.

“I thought  Snoke made that list,” Finn stated quietly. “How could he have known when he’s dead?”

“He can’t,” Kylo concluded. “ Halik was picked out long before Snoke died. But his powers...”

“Only after he gets hurt? I mean, that’s what happened to me. Same place too.” Finn rubbed at his forearm where Poe’s blaster bolt had struck him. “I got shot but still.”

“There’s something more here. She’s not sensitive, I can tell. Perhaps the father. Someone had to have noticed  Halik before.”

“Are we betting on  Snoke ?”

“It was his idea to find people like us but they were meant to be replacements.  Halik ’s too young.” Kylo began pacing. 

“So, what do we do? Move on to the next one?”

“We take  Halik with us. That was the plan-”

Finn grabbed  Kylo’s arm. Not forcefully but hard enough to keep the  Sith in his grasp. He didn’t like the look in  Kylo’s eyes. Calculating and cold.

“He’s just a kid! We can’t take him away from his mother.  Kylo , I know we said we’d help them but-”

“You’re supposed to be on my side, Finn. Do what I say.”

Finn exhaled sharply through his nose. “I know. I know. But we both had much older people in mind. Teens, adults. Not an actual child! You think he’d be alright around the Knights? Around the droids and us? He’s way too young and we’re not prepared for this. Neither of us are parent-material.  Halik needs a carer.”

“Finn, I-”

“You’d be putting him in danger. Trust me, I was a kid in the First Order. I know what it’s like to be taught to fight and nothing else.  Halik needs a childhood.”

Mrs Sal knocked on the door. “Is everything alright?”

Kylo opened the door and went back into the living room. “Yes. We came to a decision. I’m afraid your son is too young to join our program.”

“But I thought- You said you’d help him.”

“And we will. I’ll inform the First Order about your family’s situation, your husband will receive a higher pay to help you. Give your son a few more years. When he’s ten, we’ll come back for him.”

“And his... abilities?”

Kylo walked around her and crouched in front of  Halik . The kid couldn’t really understand what was going on but he was trying his hardest to look brave.

“ Halik , you need to be careful with your power. Use it, practice your control, but do not draw attention to yourself. We’ll come back some day, I promise.”

“Okay. I will.”

Kylo stood back up and met Mrs Sal’s teary gaze. “If something happens, inform the First Order. They’re there to help you. Tell them  Halik is under the Supreme Leader’s protection. They will keep your son safe at any cost.” 

“Thank you.” She reached out for  Halik to come to her side. “I’ll put him to bed.”

“We’ll see ourselves out, Mrs Sal.” 

As she went back upstairs with her son in her arms,  Kylo stormed out of the charming little home and Finn struggled to keep up. He was soon out of sight and the darkness of night made it difficult to find him. Finn ended up guessing where he’d gone, though he felt  Kylo’s presence like a storm building above the clouds- enraged and deadly. 

As he got closer to the Sith, that drowning sensation he rarely felt these days came back tenfold. He found Kylo on the edge of the small town, sat on the floor and resisting from destroying everything around him. 

“Master?” Finn called out cautiously. He came closer to the Sith’s side, like he was approaching a wild animal. He wasn’t safe anywhere near the  Sith , behind or in front, but it eased his mind to be the furthest away from his  saber .

“I don’t understand why  Snoke would do this. Why he kept so much from me. I should have been enough for him. It’s like he always thought I’d fail him, like he needed to find someone else to replace me at every turn.”

“Maybe he just wanted more  Sith .”

Kylo shook his head and bowed it down towards the sand. “My master respected the old ways too much. He never would’ve had more than one apprentice at a time. I was not allowed my own either. I feel like everything he ever said to me was a lie. Why would he want a child? Before the child’s power even flowered? It makes no sense.”

Finn sat down on his knees beside him. “Thank you.”

It startled  Kylo out of his mind. “What for?”

“Doing the right thing.”

Kylo scoffed. “He’s a kid. We’re not parents. I can barely take care of myself.”

“I also meant helping them. With the credits. I’m pretty sure she expected us to take him away from her tonight. I don’t know my own parents, I didn’t have a childhood. The kid deserves it. Every kid does. We’ll bring him to  Talok when he’s older.”

“We should go. There are others on that list. Hopefully, not all of them are children.”

* * *

Coruscant was infamous for its sneaky entrance-ways and secluded landing ports. A ship could easily slip by security unnoticed without raising any alarms. Just because the First Order had made itself comfortable on the Core planet didn't change centuries of carefully planned criminal activity. There weren't enough troopers in the galaxy to keep watch on every street corner, on every level- so slipping a cargo freighter containing a black-and-orange X-Wing and whatever unidentifiable junk Rose had decided to fly, was rather easy. Too easy. Poe was certain they would be caught any second by the orbiting Star Destroyers but the Captain's key allowed them full access to the docking ports nearest to the domed building of the Senate. 

That wasn't their destination. 

Poe needed data banks. Rose  seemed confident in finding that in the heavily patrolled sectors . He didn’t trust her, that would be stupid and risky, but for now, she could lead this mission.  All Poe wanted was the information on the drive . A fter that, Rose was on her own.

They flew right over one of  Coruscant's enormous tunnels that hollowed through the  levels of the city-planet. Poe wondered what it was like to live without ever seeing the sun.  The poorest of the poor lived down in the sub-sectors, and it was the perfect brewing pit for crime and spice running.

Rose took them far down, navigating her way past the larger freighters and cranes, and finally landed somewhere quiet and out of sight. Poe glanced outside the viewport nervously.

“You sure about this?” He asked, double-check ing  his blaster was functional. 

“Bit late to turn back now,” Rose countered as she  took a deep breath to calm herself. “There's someone here who owes me a favour. Just keep your mouth shut and let me handle it.” 

“You didn’t tell me this before. Who is it?” 

Rose didn’t answer him. She stood and went down to the bay door, already several steps ahead by the time Poe caught up. He raised his thumb up at BB-8 as he passed him, still sat comfortably in the back of his star fighter. It was best to keep the droid safe and he could power up the freighter if they needed a quick escape. Poe hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

Rose was  quick, ducking around street corners lit up by old bulbs ready to give out.  Poe had never been this far down and he kept vigilant eyes on the  alleys and slumped figures  who could be  either drunk, sleeping , or lying dead  on the ground.  Or entirely faking  it  and waiting to ambush unsuspecting victims. 

“How do you know this place so well?”

Again, Rose stayed quiet. She made her way through narrow alleys like she'd grown up in them and knew them like the back of her hand. In truth, she'd visited this sector only twice before but her memory was excellent. Rose only needed one look at something before she had it memorized. The path took her directly to a large housing block- an enormous wall of  duracrete that almost touched the level of the sector above, and dotted with small windows hardly worth the view. Whatever air filtered into the apartments was less than fresh. It was not a place Poe would ever live in and yet he saw kids running around, even when Rose entered the building and went straight down a staircase to the basement. 

Most of the space was taken up by generators and all sorts of machines keeping the lights on in the five-thousand apartments. Beyond the rusted and half-repaired mess was a barely visible door, and Rose knocked impatiently on it. Before it opened, she shoved a stern finger in Poe's face to keep him quiet. 

The window flap on the metal door pulled open an inch on squeaking hinges, and a green face peered through. One distrustful eye glared at Rose. 

“No,” the  Twi'Lek snarled .

“You owe me, remember? ” Rose replied just as harshly, and Poe took a cautious step back.  “Open the door, M i ra.”

The  Twi'Lek’s glare only grew angrier but she forfeited and obeyed Rose. When Poe followed inside, he  glanced around at all the mess of wires and consoles cobbled together  in the small living space. Well, he guessed M i ra lived there from the pile of blankets in one corner and a  separate  pile of wrappers and trash beside it. 

“Not in uniform ,” M i ra noted, “so I take it this is off record. Who's this? You drag someone else into  doing your dirty work with you?” 

“Ignore him.”  Rose turned to Poe. “The drive.”

“You sure about this?” Poe asked, running his fingers over the drive in his pocket. He ended up slapping it into Rose’s  awaiting  palm with a sigh.  She handed it to M ir a.

“I need to know where this was used.”

“Really? What's Pryde got you doing now?”

“It's personal. And we don't know what's on it. If you can slice it, do that.”

“It won't be quick. This is ancient.” M i ra held it up to the light- a  bare bulb hanging from the ceiling. “It won't be cheap either.”

Rose crossed her arms. “I covered for you. This is how you repay me.”

“ Fine. But this is the last time I do something for free. Next time, it will cost you. ” 

“ You should be glad I'm not reporting you. Get working, M i ra. We don't have all the time in the world here. ”

M i ra rolled her eyes and went to one of many terminals set up in her home- if it could be called that.  As she pulled it in, her screen came up with dozens of errors.

“Just what the hell have you given me?” 

Mira had plenty of experience with questionable programs and she managed to work around the pop-ups and warnings. There were unlocked files but there was something else behind them, like it was a front to satisfy a half-decent slicer. She glanced at Rose still standing there with her arms crossed and shooed her away. 

“Let me work.”

Rose went to Poe's side and sat on the corner of a desk.  For a long while she ignored Poe's attention directly on her, until she couldn't anymore.

“What?” 

Poe shrugged, crossed his arms slowly, and leaned back in the chair he’d claimed at the desk. 

“Nothing. Well, maybe one thing-  _ several _ things, actually. Who is that? What is she doing in some shady basement? Why do you know someone who lives in a shady basement? And how long did you know about this shady-basement woman who could potentially help us? Because that would have been great information back on  Naboo .”

Rose rolled her eyes so far back she swore she saw the few brain cells still remaining after Poe’s questions. 

“I would have told you if you’d stayed on my ship instead of trying to ditch me. I wanted to work together. You ran off.”

Poe couldn’t argue there.

“As for who she is, her name’s Mira and she owes me for a lot of things. You don’t need to know what. All you need to know is that she can slice almost anything-”

“Hey, tyrant,” Mira called out, “I’ve got something here. It’s not much but the security picked up tons of back-door programs. Looks like I’m not the first to try. This has got a lot of First Order attempts- I mean hundreds. They really tried. That explains the files they dug up but they’re full of junk. Some got through, though. Occasionally.”

“What’s the oldest one?”

“The data says it’s from before the Clone Wars but it’s-” Mira paused and squinted. “This thing must’ve come from the Republic era. Whatever the security program is hiding, it came from a very old source. There are entries from the time of the Empire too but then it stops for years. It’s been used every once in a while. Like a log. I just can’t see what the original file says.”

“I thought this tech belonged to the Empire,” Poe questioned. “That’s what DJ told us.”

“It’s very similar. They didn’t change much until the last years. Easy mistake to make, but the entries are way too old.”

Rose turned to Poe. “You were a courier a few months back, right?” Poe nodded. “So when would you say this really picked up? A year ago, maybe?”

“Something like that. We got wind of it maybe six months ago and that’s when the Resistance got involved properly.”

Mira searched the entries and tapped her screen. “Since then, there’s been tons trying to access this. It was quiet before. Sporadic entries here and there.”

“Any idea where they were used?”

“You’re looking at hundreds of attempts. That would take days, weeks maybe. This one seems to be from a year ago and it looks successful. I can find out this one.”

“Can you see what’s on the drive?”

Mira shook her head. “I’m not that good. This is way above my skill. I mean, look at this. The First Order threw everything they had and honestly, I can’t even tell you what half of these programs are called. If the experts there couldn’t get through, I sure as shit won’t either.”

“Then find the location. Hopefully, it will help us.”

As Mira started up her new task, she glanced back at Rose. For a brief second, she spared her a sympathetic look. 

“What did you get yourself into, Rose? I know  Pryde’s got you bending backwards but this-”

“My father was killed. This is linked to his death, I know it.” Mira opened her mouth and then quickly shut it. Rose continued. “If there’s anything I can do, I will.  Pryde’s got nothing to do with it. He doesn’t know I’m here.”

“That explains the clothes, at least. Brown’s not your colour. Doesn’t go well with your complexion.” Mira paused her typing and sighed. “I am sorry. For your loss. I obviously didn’t know your dad but if he raised a kid like you, he must’ve been a good parent.”

“He was. He did the best he could. That’s why I have to... I- Excuse me.” Rose wiped her eyes and quickly ran out of the room. Poe got out of his chair to follow her.

Rose sat on the stairs with her face buried in her arms. When the door opened and Poe came out to check on her, she didn’t even lift her head. Her sobs quietened down and she wanted nothing more than for the pilot to go away.

“Leave me alone,” she mumbled, muffling her words into her sleeve.

“I know what it’s like to lose your parents. Hell, I’ve lost my entire family except for three people. I just... I’m not that great with words but I’m here if you need to talk.”

Rose lifted her head slightly so her watery eyes could peer over her forearm. “I haven’t really sat down and accepted it. I didn’t see him so much these last few years. We were always far apart and it was difficult to make time to call, let alone see each other in person. I still feel like he’s there- like I could call him up at any moment and he’d answer, or his assistant would answer and tell me he’s busy. And he’d call me back by night time. Except he won’t, and he never will.

“We were supposed to meet up for a few days. That’s why I came home. We both got leave together. And I find him, shot and dead and rotting on the couch he bought for my mom and I- I... Whoever did this, they  must pay. I don’t care what it takes.”

“We’ll find them, Rose. I promise.”

“Look, I don’t know what your orders are but when I find them, I’m going to kill them. Don’t try and stop me.”

Poe raised his hands in peace. “I just need it decrypted. You do what you have to. I won’t get in the way.”

“Good.”

Mira poked her head into the stairway. “I got the location.”

Rose nodded firmly and wiped her eyes on her sleeves. She stood sharply, with far more determination than Poe expected out of her in this state. But he understood. That’s why he was all the way out here, to find hope to bring home. He joined Rose’s side and crowded around Mira and her screen.

“ Jakku ,” he deadpanned.

Rose lifted an eyebrow and looked at him with immense displeasure. “So, you were right. Lucky guess.”

“I was bullshitting you the first time,” he admitted with a cocky smirk. “But now we have it.  Jakku it is.”

“Have fun on that dust ball,” Mira teased. “It came from an Imperial database, if that’s any help.”

“There was a big battle there,” Rose stated. “We’ll look for any ships that were shot down. Maybe DJ was right about needing a bridge console. You’re completely certain it’s Jakku?”

“Hundred percent.”

“Thank you, Mira. Consider your debt paid. Just stay out of trouble from now on.”

“And never see your face again? I’ll be the picture of innocence.” She reached to pull out the drive and handed it back to Rose. “Good luck.”

Rose carefully pocketed it despite Poe’s frown, and bid Mira goodbye. 

Poe was relieved to see their freighter was still intact and in one piece. He wasn’t too glad about the  stormtroopers surrounding it. They were guarding the ship, not inspecting or destroying. They were waiting. Rose froze.

“What do we do? They can’t have my droid,” Poe warned, clinging to the nearest wall out of sight. Rose looked less afraid and more uncomfortable.

“Poe... I’ve kept something from you. I need you to trust me. Please, just play along and do not make them suspicious.” She held his gaze. “I am begging you to shut your mouth. Please.”

“You’re not instilling me with a lot of confidence here, Rose.”

“Just follow my lead and don’t react. Or they’ll know something’s up.”

Rose stepped out into the street and gestured for Poe to follow her towards the troopers. She was crazy. Poe already knew that but she was absolutely crazy. As she got closer, the troopers did not raise their rifles at her.

“Is there a reason you’re here, trooper?” Rose asked sternly. Her entire body language changed as she spoke to the nearest man. Her back was straight as a pole and her hands naturally came to a rest behind her, at the base of her spine. 

“Lieutenant Tico, your presence has been requested by Commander  Pryde . You are to report to the  _ Armistice _ immediately.”

Poe felt his heart freeze over. Internally, he fought to stay quiet and still.

“And where exactly is it stationed this time, trooper?”

“It’s currently above the Senate. We will escort you.”

Rose shook her head once. “No, that won’t be necessary. I will take my ship there myself.”

“Lieutenant, I’m afraid we have our orders-”

“What is your identification number?”

“GH-9375, ma’am.”

“GH-9375, I highly suggest you step away from my ship and let me get to the  _ Armistice _ myself, or I will personally see to it that you are assigned directly to sanitation for the rest of your days. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, ma’am.” The trooper promptly moved aside and gestured for his fellow men to do the same. Rose lowered the ramp.

When Poe tried to follow her, the trooper wanted to stop  him but Rose cleared her throat. Poe hurried onboard and slammed his fist against the ramp button. Once it was shut and the troopers couldn’t  look into the ship, Poe yanked her arm painfully.

“You’re First Order,” he accused harshly. “This whole time, you’ve been playing me!”

“I didn’t tell you who I was because I knew you’d never help me.”

“Damn right, I wouldn’t! What else have you lied about, huh? Is this all some big elaborate plan to capture me?”

Rose sighed through her nose. “If that was my plan, you’d already be in custody. I wouldn’t have bothered to chase you this far. My father is dead! I need answers!”

Poe let her go and Rose put distance between them and headed to the cockpit. “So what now? You’ve been summoned apparently.”

“My commander knows I’ve failed to return to work. I took leave for a few days. It’s been far more than that. Look, I’ll get us in the air. Take your X-Wing, go to Jakku. You need to complete your mission. Do me a favour and leave me a note somehow if you find the truth about my father. Please. I don’t know if I’ll be able to meet you there.”

“You’re letting me go?”

“Yes, of course. Look, you might be rebel scum but you’re not the worst I’ve come across. You’re pretty decent and... you didn’t leave me locked up in that cell. You did me a favour, so I’ll do you one. Get your ship ready and get out as fast as you can. Don’t let anyone track you. Oh, and you’ll need this.” She gave him the data drive. “Won’t do much good if they find it on me.”

Poe stared, baffled, at Rose. 

“What?” She grew too impatient and began firing up the freighter engines.

“It’s just... you’re the second nice First Order person I’ve met. The first guy defected but you, you’re still with them and helping me.”

“We’re not all that bad, Poe.” She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Most of us are just trying to survive. My dad joined up because he wanted to provide for his family, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

Poe left it at that. He didn’t want to start a whole row with her, not when she was being generous. If he was brought onto a Star Destroyer, that would be the end.

“I hope I’ll see you on  Jakku ,” he said with a grateful smile, before he headed to his ship and fired it up. 

As soon as they were in the air properly, Rose opened up the bay doors and let Poe out into the tunnel. He could easily hide between the other freighters until he could launch up safely. His droid calculated a safe path up towards the atmosphere and as he cleared the tops of the highest level of  Coruscant , he slammed up into  hyperdrive so he could jump off the planet without getting noticed by the Star Destroyers around the planet. His jump would look like a glitch on their screens and nothing more. Han had taught him a few tricks over the years.

When he looked back towards  Coruscant , he worried about Rose. Hopefully, she’d also make it to  Jakku . Enemy or not, Poe knew all too well what it felt like to have one purpose that kept him alive when everything else seemed hopeless. He wouldn’t wish that on anyone, not even First Order officers. Well, perhaps a few, but certainly not Rose.


	7. Chapter 7

** Chapter  ** ** 7 **

Tatooine had not changed at all from the last time Rey had seen the sand planet becoming smaller and smaller through the viewport of an old junker. She’d forgotten just how arid the air was under the midday suns and the shade of her E-Wing was not be enough to cool down. Her clothes weren't appropriate either but all she had was adapted to cooler climates, and her coat was stifling. It ended up becoming a shield above her head as she hurried towards the nearest drinking hole in the dusty little town she'd landed beside. 

Mos Eisley was not that far away but she needed rest and something to eat  _ now _ . The ship would be fine on its own but Rey wished she could have taken R2 with her to guard it. Perhaps a droid would end up on her shopping list but it wasn't a priority. 

The bar in the middle of the town was quiet in the morning and instead of consuming alcohol, most of the patrons were eating breakfast. Nothing looked interesting. Rey had not missed the food one bit. She took a seat and counted her credits- she was not rich. In her hurry to leave the Resistance, she'd left behind more than one thing. At least, she had her weapons and a functional ship. Sort of functional. It hadn't blown up so far despite Threepio's warnings.

As she ate, Rey glanced around at the half-asleep patrons. It was odd but she felt at home. When she'd been a child, her guardian had taken her to places like these to make deals and arrange bounties. While her guardian was busy doing all sorts of criminal dealings, Rey had been learning her numbers and letters at one of the tables with a handful of colourful pencils and the lively encouragement of some of the kinder patrons. She barely remembered those days; felt them more than pictured them. She had only been five or six.

When it was time to leave and move on, Rey was reluctant to return to her childhood home. She could remember everything about it like it had only been yesterday she’d left against her will. The ship leaving on the horizon, Master Skywalker’s hand keeping her from chasing after it. Rey had felt so alone, left behind by the one person who’d always looked after her. Now that she stood on Tatooine once more, Rey was unsure of herself.

But what was she going to achieve by standing out here worrying about the future? 

She made her way back to the E-Wing and tried to pull herself up into the cockpit, and as she did so, she gathered the attention of a couple locals. Her struggle was made harder by their staring. Rey whipped her head towards them and glared harshly.

“What do you want? Is this entertaining for you?”

The hooded locals chattered between themselves and Rey grew more impatient with their lack of respect. Steading herself with her staff, she grabbed her  lightsaber and ignited it. They ran in fear immediately and Rey muttered curses at them. Replacing her hilt on her belt, she glanced back up at the cockpit. It was going to be hard navigating around with one leg, especially if she couldn’t muster up the strength to climb up the ship without a stepladder. Perhaps she should have taken that clunky replacement with her.

Rey went to rest her hands on the metal and she suddenly hissed in pain. Of course. The sun had cooked the surface of her ship. It didn’t help that it was painted grey. Without a glove, she couldn’t handle touching the metal at all, and Rey was too exhausted physically and mentally to use the Force to lift herself up. She couldn’t pull herself up with the metal arm either.

She sat down on the sand and her human hand came up to her face, hiding her pain away from anyone stupid enough to look at her. Unsurprisingly, she’d drawn more attention to herself.

A jangle of metal forced her to look up as a shadow settled over her.

“Need a hand?” 

Rey almost believed she was being mocked. She stared up at a young man, strapped with weapons and with his lower face hidden behind a cloth mask. He was likely a bounty hunter, and he was eyeing the lightsaber at her hip.

“You should fix bars to the side, so you can climb up,” he suggested. “But for now, do you want some help?”

“People don’t do things just to be nice,” Rey stated coldly. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with hunters. Or just about anyone right now. 

“You don’t look like you’re from around here. You shouldn’t judge people so quick. Maybe I am just being nice.”

Rey scoffed and pointed in the distance, towards sloping dunes. “I grew up just past Anchorhead. I know this place better than you.”

“How  d’you figure that, huh? You don’t know me.”

“You’re sunburnt and those blasters are far too shiny and new to be from here. Look, if you think you can con or scam me- think again. I’m not in the mood.”

“Well, if you won’t play nicely, I’ll just take what I want then.” Just as the man pulled his blaster free, Rey threw it aside. The hunter followed it with his eyes in pure shock.

“I told you I wasn’t in the mood.” She waved her hand. “Give me your blasters and your gloves. And those goggles.”

The hunter moved stiffly as he obeyed. He threw what she wanted down at her feet. She gathered it quickly and slipped on the gloves.

“Now, help me up into my ship.”

Rey hated being held but she had no other way of getting in without help. He lifted her into his arms and gave her the boost she needed to get herself inside. Once she had all her belongings with her, she stared at his blank face.

“Leave me alone.”

The man walked off without a word, and Rey quickly fired up the E-Wing just so that she could get away from all the stares of the locals. It left her with only one thing left to do: go home.

* * *

Rey wasn’t sure of what she’d expected to come home to exactly. A pile of ruins with sand gathering in every  room? Perhaps a strange family who’d moved in? Nothing at all, perhaps? But there was always the possibility that she’d return and the ramshackle house at the bottom of towering cliffs would be exactly as she’d left it.

In sense, the latter was right. The  _ house _ was still intact. A wall had been erected around the land and several more roofs peeked over the top of the wall. Sheds, maybe- or workshops. Her guardian had a thing for making wonders out of scraps. A couple creaky windmills spun lazily in the breeze and as Rey managed to get down from her ship, she heard the noisy rumbling of generators. Someone was home.

Her heart raced as she made her way up to the gate and knocked on it politely. She paused, waited, and then waited some more. She knocked louder but no one came out. Rey didn’t want to wait out here so she unlocked the gate from the other side, and walked in.

Rey noticed with a tiny smile that the only difference she could spot was that everything looked a bit smaller. Since she was no longer knee-high, it made sense. Still, she smiled up towards the house as she shielded her eyes from the sun. 

The dusty ground was separated into sections. A shooting range, a smelting workshop, a tall pile of scrap to pick from, and a nice spot in the shade of the elongated roof to sit and enjoy the day. There were a few additions to the yard and the house- extensions for more rooms, storage sheds dotted about, and a vegetable garden watered by an old droid. 

The only question remaining was where the owner had gone. And it didn’t take long for that to be answered either. Rey saw the barrel of a rifle poke through the curtains of an upstairs window.

“Not one step closer!” The owner yelled from the safety of the house.

Rey lifted one hand carefully, trying to stay balanced. The Force kept her upright as she waved and tried to look as friendly as she could.

“I come in peace, I swear. I’m just looking for somebody. There used to be a bounty hunter who lived here.”

“Turn back the way you came, get back on your ship, and leave me alone. I don’t like visitors!”

“Please, I’m just trying to find my family,” Rey begged as she put her hand back down on her staff. Her strength was fading rapidly over the day. “I used to live here.”

The barrel pulled out of the window and a hand yanked it closed. Rey exhaled sharply, trying to muster up anger but she felt so tired and drained. When the house remained silent, Rey was certain she’d either have to leave or sit on this person’s porch until they opened up out of pity. She could play the long game,  as long as she could sit down.

The locks on the front door clicked and slid open. There were many locks apparently. The door opened at last and a woman glared at Rey. 

“Prove it,” she said.

Rey blinked. “Prove what? That I lived here? Well, unless the place has changed since I was young- the pipes creak around noon when the water gets distributed from the nearest farm. Uh, there used to be the cockpit of an AT-AT lying around the back and I climbed in there, pretending I was a pilot. I was just pressing random buttons. And there was no wall, and-”

“Rey?”

She paused her ramblings and nodded firmly. “Yeah, that’s me. That’s... I’m Rey. What’s left of me, anyways.”

The woman sprinted out, her arms extended like she wanted to embrace Rey. It was almost frightening to see the sudden change and Rey braced to be smacked into. The woman stopped as she got closer, but then decided to hug Rey anyways. Rey barely had time to look at her face before her own was buried in a bulky shoulder.

“Oh, my little star...” 

Rey’s eyes prickled with tears. She hadn’t heard that in so long. There was no doubt about who the woman holding her close now.

The woman pulled away and Rey finally got a good look. Her skin had darkened from years under the binary suns and a section of her jaw and neck was scarred, but her brown eyes held a familiar warmth to them. 

“Duri? It really is you,” Rey said softly. “I’d never forget your face.”

“I probably look like shit,” her guardian smirked as she stepped back, but a frown deepened. “What happened to you?”

“It’s a long story. Could I sit down inside? I’m not... I really shouldn’t be travelling but I had to come here.”

“Of course, of course! Here, lean against me if you need to. That hand looks rudimentary. And your leg... I thought the New Republic had better to offer.”

Rey glanced up as they slowly made their way towards the porch. The step troubled her for a moment but Duri supported her weight as she made the jump up. 

“You haven’t heard, have you?”

She scoffed. “The rest of the galaxy might as well be in a whole different universe. News is hard to get out here.”

When Rey sat down at the same dining table she’d carved into with a pocket knife, she recounted all the events in the last months with increasing grief. When she got to the part of her injuries, it broke her into tears she’d been holding back for too long.

* * *

Onboard Lord Ren’s shuttle, the simmering wrath coming from the  Sith was making Finn more and more uncomfortable. Failure after failure. Ren would not ruthlessly and carelessly rip children from their parents’ arms and drag them to Talok, like his master before him. 

The first child was proof that Ren had something akin to a heart. But after six equally young children, most of which not demonstrating any connection to the Force at all, Ren began twisting his compassion into a sign of weakness. He wanted to understand what Snoke had planned to do with them. Why would he ever consider them better than Kylo? Even as a child, he’d demonstrated gifted abilities few possessed and yet he wasn’t enough. His mission evolved into seeking out the truth rather than building the army he’d had in mind. What could Ren possibly do with scared children that barely came up to his elbow? He refused to take them.

Finn wordlessly applauded him for that- he'd never thought the  Sith could be compassionate, let alone listen to Finn’s concerns and actually act on them. It wasn’t making Finn bolder or braver, but he feared Ren just a little bit less. Even when he was forced to share the cramped sleeping compartment at night, and he could feel the anger coming off the  Sith in his dreams. Perhaps it was just normal to share dreams and thoughts among Force users, but Finn didn’t ask in case it wasn’t. As awful as some of the thoughts in Ren’s head were, at least Finn was privy to them- It helped remind him that Ren was a real person when at times, he came off as a dark spectre hidden behind his mask. Finn didn’t feel quite so alone like he’d thought he would.

But he was quickly getting tired of the shuttle’s black interior and the endless void of space stretching in every direction out the viewport. Finn liked being on ships but he didn’t like small spaces with very little to entertain himself with. Ren hardly talked since they’d taken off from Kessel- that planet had been horrible and Finn never wanted to return- so he wasn’t much of a distraction. Finn had always had something to do on a Destroyer. Now, he was pacing the hall between the cockpit and the living-space cargo hold and eroding the ground with his boots.

The doors were kept open to avoid making it all the more cramped and tiny, and Finn heard the angered sigh coming from the pilot’s seat. He was certain Ren was not actually flying but relying on the ship’s autopilot. 

He paced for another minute before the  Sith leaned over the side of the chair and glowered at him.

“Will you  _ please _ sit  down ?” Polite words but they were not spoken politely. Ren looked ready to stab Finn with his  saber if he kept fidgeting.

“How long until we get to the next place?” Finn asked as he stopped pacing a line into the grated floor.

“A few hours. We’re going home.” 

Finn came to join him and rested his hands on the back of the co-pilot's seat, frowning. “I thought we were going to Yavin Four.”

Ren gave him an odd look. “If that were the case, we would’ve landed yesterday.”

“Oh.” Finn shrugged. “Listen, I worked sanitation. I don’t have the galaxy mapped out in my head. I know some of the names you tell me, that’s it. Plus, I don’t even know where  Talok is.”

Ren said nothing to that last part. “We’re getting there-” He stopped and turned his head towards the viewport. “Do you feel that?”

Finn felt something alright, though he didn’t know exactly how to describe it. When he was around Ren, he felt the Dark Side but this was more than waves trying to pull him in. It was if as if he’d been dropped from a great height into an ocean and he was sinking to the bottom with no lifeline to pull him back up.

“I do. What is it?”

Finn had to focus on where he was to keep from letting the Force swallow him whole. He swung himself into the chair and sat down. 

“We’re close to Endor,” Ren answered quietly. Although Finn felt utterly powerless against it, Ren seemed eagerly curious. He turned to Finn. “My grandfather’s remains are still there.” He inputted new co-ordinates into the console.

“Wait, we’re going towards that... thing? But-”

“Don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not.” Ren gave him a doubtful look. “I am not afraid,” Finn repeated firmly. 

“Good. Fear is a weakness.”

“I’m not weak, either.”

“We’ll see in time.”

* * *

The shuttle landed between impossibly tall trees and Finn was glad to breathe in fresh air, tinted with the pungent smell of wet grass and moss. The Force was powerful here, but not as much as it had been in the void of space. Finn knew about the Death Star, of course. Part of his history classes at the Academy. He knew about the thousands of lives that had been lost due to rebel scum, about the fragments of the weapon falling into the gravitational pull of Endor’s surrounding moons. 

It seemed like the forest moon of Endor had survived it better than most. He stared up at the trunks that touched the sky and across the wooden bridges and huts abandoned between the thick branches. Finn realised quickly they were not quite as empty as he’d initially thought; tiny little creatures stared at them from the cover of leaves.

“Are they going to be a problem?” He asked to Ren, only to find himself completely alone. The  Sith’s back was disappearing between trees in the distance. Finn ran after him.

He found Ren on the edge of a small creek that divided two hills and bordered a village built into the trees. Finn kept a worried eye upwards, in case those things came after them for trespassing. Despite the wetness of the ground, Ren unclipped his cloak and set it down like a blanket on top of the moss. It was already dirty from trekking through various biomes for the past three weeks. At least they stopped often enough to eat and clean, though Finn thoroughly missed the natural, warm pools on Talok. The water running by Ren’s foot looked frigid.

“Is there a grave here? For your grandfather, I mean,” Finn asked as he squatted down beside the  Sith . There was enough space on his cloak to sit but that felt far too presumptuous and invasive. 

“He was cremated, as by old Jedi tradition,” Ren explained, without much emotion to his voice though his eyes held weak contempt. “I thought he would be here.”

“But... he’s dead, why would he be?”

“Death is not as final as it seems. Their voices can still be heard. They can still talk to us if we listen carefully. I used to speak to him but I haven’t for months.”

“Maybe he’s busy. You know, doing ghost stuff.”

Ren cracked a smile. And then he chuckled despite trying hard to glare at Finn for his lack of respect. He patted the space beside him and Finn carefully sat down on the heavy wool, mindful to keep his muddy boots at a safe distance as if that would keep the cloak clean. 

“Seriously, though, do we have to worry about those things in the trees?”

Ren shook his head. “Two  Sith versus a bunch of  Ewoks ? I doubt it would be a difficult battle. Just don’t anger them.” He sighed softly, turned so that his back was to Finn’s left shoulder, and closed his eyes. “I’m going to meditate. Perhaps he’ll speak with me.”

Ren didn’t have to say it for Finn to understand what he was truly asking;  _ watch my back _ . Finn adjusted himself so that his back was to Ren’s, supporting his weight better. He’d seen Rey do it with Luke Skywalker, and they’d sat together for hours on end- dead to the world and lost in their own heads. If Ren planned to do the same, the least Finn could do was to make sure those Ewoks didn’t try anything.

Perhaps Ren’s excessive searching was annoying Lord Vader. His constant peering into the Dark Side could be seen as desperate and bothersome. Maybe he’d done something to anger Lord Vader and now, he was refusing to speak with him. Ren changed his tactic.

He waited for Vader to come to him. If he could prove he was patient, perhaps-

“Kylo, get up.”

Ren’s heart dropped. He’d heard his name so clearly. His grandfather was here, he was close.

“Kylo!” A hand shook his shoulder. Ren’s eyes snapped open and he stared up at Finn’s worried expression. “Master, I need you.”

Ren was half-aware of his surroundings. All around them,  Ewoks had gathered with spears and knives and they did not look happy at all. Night had already fallen. How long had he been sat here?

Sending a shockwave out in a circle, Ren scared off the little creatures for the moment. They’d be back. Either to chase them or eat them. Or both. Finn no longer thought they looked cute. Not with those spears. 

“Come on, we should go,” Finn insisted as he pulled at Ren’s arm. The  Sith woke up from his trance completely and yanked his arm back, sweeping his cloak up, but he didn’t make a move besides getting to his feet.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” He asked. “You called my name.”

“I’ve been doing that for ages. Why?”

“I thought it was... it’s nothing. Let’s go home. I’m sick of wasting my time.” Ren led the way back to the ship though it took longer to navigate in the dark. They both tripped over roots and stones.

They were being watched the entire way back.  It creeped Finn out and he was so glad to close the ramp behind him and see the ground getting smaller and smaller, until Endor was nothing was a speck. Ahead of them was a black canvas dotted with rare stars. Whatever system  Talok was in, it was truly at the furthest reaches of the Unknown. But they weren’t more than a few hours out. That brought a small comfort to them both, and Ren looked thoroughly in need of sleep.

He set the ship on autopilot and sulked towards the tiny bed that pulled out the side of the wall. It was a one-man vessel, made just for Ren specifically. He should’ve chosen a different ship for such a long mission but for now, he was too exhausted to argue with himself over past mistakes. Too many of them to recount, anyways. 

Finn followed him in a short while later, when he was certain he’d given the  Sith enough time to ready himself for bed. They had to share, after all; huddling and squeezing together to fit but it was better than the chairs.

He knocked politely before sliding the door open. Even without the layers of dark robes and his hooded cloak, Ren cut an imposing figure. He was too tall and bulky compared to most men his age, but in that moment, hunched over the side with his face in his hands, he looked small. Like all the strength in him had deflated and left a tired man too young to have such a rough appearance. He reminded Finn of Poe in that tiny house in Batuu, fighting so hard to look brave when Poe had crumbled in on himself long before that. The barest thread of determination keeping it all from caving in.

He saw it in  Kylo for the briefest moment, before the  Sith slipped his expressionless mask back on and returned to his usual ways of pretence. 

“You couldn’t find your grandfather, could you?” Finn asked softly, though the second the words left his mouth, he knew he should’ve kept quiet.

Ren glowered. “He’s out there somewhere. Ignoring me. I will make him speak to me. I will.”

Finn decided to change the subject. “What do we do about these kids, then? Seems like all of them are far too young for us to help right now.”

“They are. I’ll need to speak with Hux. He will know what to do.”

“Why him? Isn’t he busy in Coruscant?”

Ren nodded. “Yes but he led the trooper program before passing it down. He’s dealt with this sort of issue before.”

Finn swallowed and averted his glare. “You mean, he’s got experience stealing kids from their parents.”

Ren looked up and it dawned on him that he’d spoken wrongly. There was no taking it back, though. His comparison had drawn a line with Finn.

“It wasn’t... I didn’t mean it like that. You know my plan- I'd never harm them. But if we could find somewhere for them to go, learn the ways of the  Sith safely with people who are trained to handle children, shouldn’t we try? You were right.  Talok is no place for a child. But you saw what sort of lives they were living! That little girl was working in a mine. She was eight. Would you rather we leave her alone unattended until she’s older? Imagine if she dies before we ever get a chance to help. The blame would fall to us for not helping her sooner.”

Finn couldn’t look him in the eyes, but his words rang true.

“I know you have your reasons. Your hatred. But we doing this to help them.”

“I need you to promise me something, master.” Finn knew deep down, no matter what he said, he had no control over what Ren chose to do. “These kids... don’t you dare cut them off from their parents. They need contact.”

“I promise,” Ren lied, with a perfectly believable expression. 

Finn nodded softly. “Good. I... I don’t want them to grow up all alone in the world.”

“They won’t. I’ll arrange it all.” 

“Thank you. I think I’ll sleep in there tonight.” He jerked his thumb back towards the cockpit. He didn’t plan to sleep, not anymore. He was too worried about these kids. Ren watched him retreat and seal the door behind him. He’d speak to Hux in the morning.

* * *

Rose could map out the interior of the renovated Imperial II-class,  _ Armistice _ , in her sleep and she eyed every corridor with distrust and planned continuously changing routes back towards the hangar her  junker was parked in. She had zero attachment to the ship she’d bought for scraps but stealing a Tie-Fighter would only make her punishment worse. 

No one had aimed any blasters at her and if anything, it all seemed to be business as usual onboard the lively vessel. It was protecting Coruscant, after all. A job her commander found trivial and dull and far below his paygrade. She sympathised. He was being punished too.

As she made her way up to the main bridge, accompanied by a couple troopers who  stayed a step behind her at all times , Rose felt her heart rate skyrocket. She’d never once stepped out of line, never made a problem of herself. She could only pray that her commander did not have a firing squad waiting on the bridge.

When she walked in, there seemed to be some sort of emergency. All sorts of activity  was happening; from the techs at their desks to the officers on the bridge. She panicked for a second before realising it was only a drill to keep the men sharp and focused. Who would dare attack the First Order now? She was too shaken up to initially notice that the viewport was blacked out to portray the simulations. When she looked closer, she recognised the surface of  Jakku . A personal favourite of her commander, simply because he could change the events to guarantee victory this time. 

Rose spotted him right at the front of the bridge, congratulating his men on yet another successful drill. His fleet always passed. Rose had never witnessed a low score. The  _ Armistice _ had not been demoted to patrol duty because of a failing crew. 

As the simulation ended, and the Empire was victorious, Commander Pryde admired his old Star Destroyer,  _ Steadfast _ , on the screen and gave her a small, respectful nod before the viewport turned clear. The ship was nothing but scraps on the surface of  Jakku now, picked clean by scavengers and lowlifes.

Commander Pryde began handing out stern compliments and unnecessary corrections for a minute but when he noticed Rose waiting all the way at the back, he gave her a false smile. Rose knew him long enough to know that Pryde had perfected a smile that actually spoke volumes of anger within its uncanny pleasantness. To any recruit, he looked almost joyful. To Rose, he looked wrathful.

His lean figure towered over most of his crew but it was his age that set him apart from the others. Some called him a relic, an antique of the Empire, but Rose respected Pryde for his sharp cunning nature. He’d survived this far, after all. He was a gaunt, grey-haired man with icy blue eyes, dressed in the standard dark-grey uniform of the First Order. Hanging smoothly from his shoulders was a long, elegant cape that reached down to his ankles. The cape covered most of his upper arms, and it was certainly not regulation-issued. As he stalked towards her, the fabric moved languidly. 

“Lieutenant. Joining us once more, I see.” His voice was  cold and his words clipped. Rose was in for it now. “My office. Now. You and I have much to discuss.”

He dismissed the troopers with a curt nod and pushed firmly at Rose’s shoulder to turn her towards the elevators. His nose crinkled at the rough and dirty fabric of her coat. Despite her interesting appearance, she stood perfectly straight and still in the elevator beside him. Her eyes flickered up to him but Pryde never bothered to return her gaze. His eyes were  dead set on the doors.

His demotion had not affected his rank or his privileges. His quarters were still the grandest on the Star Destroyer and his lavish office remained untouched. General Hux had taken away Pryde’s freedom to serve the First Order at the head of the fleet. His wings were clipped but the  _ Armistice _ was still his. Rose was certain he’d steal it for himself if it was ever taken from his command. 

All because he’d failed to report Resistance fighters infiltrating  Starkiller ’s shield with sufficient haste. Rose had been there, she knew why her commander had hesitated. It was a test to see whether the Supreme Leader’s great weapon was up to scratch. She’d been against it, tried to advise to the intelligent side of the man rather than his need to gloat over the General. Rose knew far better than to bring up such sensitive topics, but the silence was crushing.

“Commander, I-”

The elevator dinged open and Pryde didn’t give her a chance to speak. He walked right towards his quarters and unlocked the door, expecting Rose to close it as he went straight to a cabinet hidden in the wall. The seam for it was nearly invisible and Rose curiously looked as he pulled out a crystal decanter and two glasses.

“Sit,” he instructed, as he set down the glasses and poured a dark liquid. Whatever it was, he wasn’t willing to part with much. 

Rose took the plush armchair on the left and kept herself from sinking into the navy leather. It was far more comfortable than she’d expected. Normally, offices were furnished according to strict regulations but seeing as the  _ Armistice _ had been under Pryde’s command for the last twenty years, he had some leeway. It had survived years of Empire conflict and it would continue to fight for the First Order for many more years- spurred on heavily by the renovations taken to make any  Halik vageable Star Destroyer operational again. Why waste resources on entirely new ships?

She looked up at her commander. No firing squad just yet. He pushed one glass towards her.

“I heard about your father,” he began as he sat down in a tall chair that arched slightly forwards at the top. “My condolences, Lieutenant. Captain Tico was a good man.”

Rose took the offered glass and drank it down in one gulp. It burned horribly, like she’d chugged engine fuel straight from the supply tanks. It was meant to be savoured but Rose was glad she’d taken it all down in one go, because now there was no need to sip at it constantly. The bad taste would fade quicker.

“Thank you, Commander.”

“I went ahead with preparing his funeral. You have been unreachable for a  while so I took the liberty of having his body brought back to Coruscant and kept in storage. When you are ready, we can give him a proper send off.” Pryde sipped at his drink though his face remained neutral, as if the taste was somehow bearable. Perhaps it had eroded his senses. “Though, as I’m sure you are aware, due to his cause of death- he cannot be buried with full honours. His records have been marked.”

“What?”

“Since he passed away on leave, far from his assigned fleet, and there was no sign of a struggle or evidence of something more sinister, I’m afraid it was ruled as a suicide.”

Her fingers trembled in her lap and she was overwhelmed with  powerlessness. “He didn’t kill himself, sir.”

Pryde looked at her pityingly. “I understand this is a very difficult time for you. Losing your mother, and then your father in just a few years... It cannot be easy to handle the truth.”

“I know he didn’t. He wouldn’t.” Rose placed the glass down on the desk too hard. “I knew my father better than anyone else. We’d both tried so hard to find the right time off together.”

“As I recall from your request notes, it was the anniversary of your mother’s death. Perhaps it was all too much. I won’t presume anything, of course. Your father was an extraordinary officer. Sometimes, life is simply too much to bear.” Pryde placed his linked hands on the edge of the desk. “He was found with a blaster in his hand. There was no forced entry. Unless, you suspect someone was after him.”

Rose could not out her father as a spy for the Resistance even if she couldn’t understand his motives. Perhaps she didn’t know him at all. If Pryde knew of her father’s involvement, her own would be questioned. The firing squad was just on the horizon. She saw it in his eyes like a promise. Traitors were not granted trials or mercy. It was death.

They wouldn’t believe her anyways, not without proof. Deep down, she understood why but it angered her. Her father had served for so long, he deserved more than a simple funeral and passing mentions of his deeds.

“There is currently a memorial project setting up on  Starkiller base. His name will be carved there with your permission, of course.” 

Rose’s breath hitched and she forced herself not to cry. It was hard. Her body jolted with her sobs as she buried her face into her hands, before pulling back up. Rose sniffed and tried to calm herself down, trying to maintain some semblance of strength in front of Pryde. 

She inclined her head slowly. “I would like that... He was all I had. And now he’s gone.”

“Fathers rarely realise the impact they leave on their children. I take it this extension of your leave was simply you  losing track of time during this difficult period?”

Pryde was offering her a way out. Something insignificant to write beside the one spot on her otherwise perfect record. She was all too grateful.

“Yes sir. I lost my way but I’m back now. I will cope.” She wiped her eyes on her dirty sleeves. “I suppose for a little while, I just wanted to be somebody else. It won’t happen again, sir. I swear.”

“I believe you, Lieutenant. You will have to attend weekly checks for your mental wellbeing, of course. But I must warn you, any repeat offence like this and I will have no choice but to send you to  reconditioning . Those are the rules, I’m afraid.”

“I know, sir. It won’t come to that.”

Pryde leaned back in his grand chair with a satisfied smile. “Good. Now, I suggest you return to your quarters and find something more suitable to wear. You may have the rest of the day to yourself but I want you organised and ready first light tomorrow. I need you back on my bridge.”

Rose took that as her cue to stand. “Yes sir. Thank you.”

She  Halik uted Pryde. No firing squad today. 

“Oh, Lieutenant, before you go,” Pryde added just as she was ready to leave his office. “That young man you were spotted with, down in the lower levels, who was he?”

Rose turned back and tried to look abashed. “Just a stranger. I needed company, sir.”

Pryde frowned and nodded once with a distasteful sneer. Too much information for him, but that did not stop him saying, “Head down to the medical bay and get yourself checked as well. I don’t want you to catch anything.”

Rose’s cheeks heated up. They had Poe’s face. They knew. She was linked to the Resistance now. Rose had thought for a hopeful moment that she could return to her old life, slip back into her role and serve the First Order until her last day. She wanted nothing more than to tell Pryde that she’d done it all for her father, that she was loyal. 

When she didn’t move towards the door, Pryde frowned. “Lieutenant, is something wrong-”

“I’m not a traitor,” Rose blurted out, her eyes fixed in the centre of his chest. She stared at his  rank insignias without really looking. “I would never betray you or the Order. You know that. I know you do.”

Pryde rounded his desk and rested a hand on her shoulder. “If this is about your transgressions, I will dismiss them. You’re a fine officer. You’ve no need to worry about demotion.”

Rose glanced up nervously. What the hell was she doing? Snivelling up at her commander like she had no self-respect. Her father would’ve been disappointed in her behaviour.

“You suffered a great loss, Lieutenant. I can’t say I blame you for your actions.”

He didn’t know about Poe, Rose thought. He hadn’t linked the pieces together. It gave her immense relief and when she finally left Pryde alone, and she was slumped against the back wall of the elevator, Rose made herself breathe rhythmically until she had control again. She was ashamed of her own  actions but they had concreted Pryde’s trust in her. Or so she thought.

Lounging back in his seat, Pryde holo-called for one of his subordinates. 

“Commander, sir,” the woman on the other side greeted with a  Halik ute.

“I need you to keep an eye on Lieutenant Tico. Report any odd behaviour to me at once and watch the hangars. She might try to leave.”

“Shall I place a tracker, sir?”

“No need. She already has one. That is all, sergeant.”

The woman sal uted again. “Yes, sir.”

The call ended and Pryde pulled up the footage from the stormtrooper’s helmet. It was usually recording during battles rather than standard  patrols but Tico was a strange case. Her disappearance was odd but not uncommon. However, using her dead father’s codes to slip by had made him suspicious. Pryde smirked at the frozen image of Poe  Dameron’s face and kept it to himself. No need to involve anybody else.


	8. Chapter 8

** Chapter 8 **

Rose wandered back to her ship to gather her belongings, planning on taking them up to her room so she could put this awful adventure behind her. She’d been so caught up in trying to find her father’s killer that she hadn’t exactly sat down to contemplate why he’d chosen to help the Resistance. She loved him unconditionally, enemy to the First Order or not, but why had he done this? Why did he have to put his life on the line for a bunch of rebels who’d never know his name?

For a moment, she thought of going back home or perhaps to her father’s assigned ship in the Outer Rim- but they would have surely been turned upside down and his belongings shoved into storage somewhere. Even if his quarters had been kept intact, Rose could not leave now. Her father had always been her hero. Everything he did was to help others. He joined the First Order to bring in more money and get his wife the treatment she needed, though it had been too late. He wouldn’t have risked it all for nothing. He’d chosen to help the Resistance for a reason. Whatever Poe was so desperate to find, her father had realised it was worth his life. 

Rose owed to him to make sure his sacrifice had meaning. But this was it. No more second chances. If she left now, the First Order would never take her back. Even Pryde’s generosity would run dry and Rose was already marked. Would Poe ever find her again with an answer? Would she have to live her whole life never knowing why her father had to die, or who had killed him?

Walking back to the hangar had caused Rose to notice she was being watched. Pryde was not stupid. He may not have made a link to Poe but she was unbalanced. The troopers guarding the ships turned their heads as she went by and when she lowered the ramp of the freighter, one spoke into their comms. 

Rose went right to her small ship and plugged her father’s key tab into the system. As she sat in the cockpit, she stared out past the hangar shields to the cityscape of Coruscant. Rose did not want to leave. She didn’t want to be marked a traitor or to betray the trust of her commander, but her father deserved this. She shot out of the freighter with one last look.

Commander Pryde watched Tico’s ship on his monitor from the comfort of his office and sighed with disappointment. She’d been a good officer until now. What a waste. He reached over to his comm link.

“Red squadron, this is Commander Pryde. I’m sending you a tracking signal. Recon only, do not engage without my order. Find out where they’re going.”

“Copy that, Commander. We’re on our way.”

Pryde set the device back down and stared at the signal making a steady line through the Core. She’d lead him right to the Resistance.

* * *

BB-8 was not having a good time. The sand was soft and loose in places, making the droid sink and struggle to keep up with Poe.

“What do you think, buddy?” The pilot asked as he stared up at the ruins of an old Star Destroyer, half buried within the orange dunes. Its enormous shadows cast overhead and provided him with temporary relief from the unforgiving sun.

The droid raised his head up and scanned the air. He detected a few lifeforms- some human and not. Most likely scavengers taking apart what little was left of the relic. Poe had seen plenty of Star Destroyers in his day but that was in the vacuum of space, blasting past Tie Fighters and ventral cannons. He’d never really looked at one from the ground.

“Well then, let’s get in there and see what we can find.”

Poe turned back towards his X-Wing. He heavily doubted that anything inside the ship would work, let alone be sturdy enough to clamber without specialist equipment. If he could land the X-Wing inside, his day would be a lot shorter and easier. Once BB-8 was secured, he lifted off and sought out somewhere to land.

He spent a good ten minutes carefully checking the sides for an entry. The bow of the ship had crashed down first, resulting in a large sand dune covering the front half as it slanted towards the side. Poe had to commend whoever had landed the monstrosity. Sure, it had broken apart on impact and snapped the bow at an angle but it was mostly intact- save for the scrap scavengers who’d stripped a good amount. Considering how bloody and awful that final battle had been, worse had come to the other Star Destroyers and Imperial war machines. He suspected the majority of the men onboard had survived the crash. He didn’t want to comb the desert for the remains of the war.

Poe found his way in rather unconventionally: through the thrusters. The tunnels were more than accommodating for his small fighter and the hollowed-out innards of the Destroyer gave him access inside. He couldn’t tell what sections were what. Walls, floors, entire levels, had been scrapped and taken apart. The metal floor creaked when he landed the X-Wing and climbed out carefully.

BB-8 beeped a nervous warning as something gave in and fell nearby. The metallic noise bounced all the way down to the bottom.

“Big drop. Let’s not go too close to the edge,” Poe suggested as he grabbed a flashlight from his pocket and headed up towards the bridge.

Wires had been pulled from the walls. Panels were missing. If there had been any power running through the ship, it would’ve created a death trap. Not that it wasn’t already one. Despite BB-8's readings, Poe found no sign of life but he heard noises deeper down that echoed in the empty pipes and ventilation shafts. Poe knew there was no power and yet, he pressed for the elevator just to see if it would work. The stairs creaked in protest but they held his weight. BB-8 used his little grappling hooks to pull himself up to each landing. If Poe had more time, he would’ve loved to explore the remains of the ship. It wasn’t every day he got to see a Star Destroyer that wasn’t shooting at him, and the peaceful stillness was calming his nerves. 

When he got to the bridge, he glanced around and his eyes came to rest on a plaque above the entrance doors.  _ Steadfast _ . The name rang a bell. Poe remembered it vaguely from a story his parents had told him as a child about the battle. 

As he walked further inside, weighing each step on the slanted floor so he didn’t fall, he noticed a couple corpses slumped at their stations. It had been long enough for them to decompose and the stench to fade away, but Poe raised a hand to his face regardless. Not everyone had been able to escape. The Captain was crumpled at the helm, where the viewport was shattered. Either it had broken during the battle or on impact, but the blaster still held by the bony hand was the cause of death. Same with the officers in their seats. 

They may have been enemies but Poe still bowed his head in respect as he passed by. Imperial or not, these men had kept the Steadfast going long enough for the others to escape. Poe had to respect their dedication and selflessness. 

BB-8 chirped from one of the panels in the sunken station, left of the main walkway. 

“If there’s still power, go ahead. We’ll need it. Or I’ll reroute it from Black One,” Poe replied as he stared out of the viewport across the desert plains. He could see  Niima Outpost from up here. Poe quickly averted his eyes.

The droid started probing the system, figuring out how to turn the engines back on. Poe was more than fine dragging cables from his X-Wing. His hopes weren’t high. So when the Star Destroyer gave the loudest, deepest rumble he’d ever heard in his life, Poe grinned from ear to ear. Whoever else was onboard just had the worst heart attack.

“Good job, buddy!” Poe clambered down and stroked the metal dome-head. 

The screens started to power on slowly. Poe was patient. He sat against the wall so his legs didn’t strain trying to keep him vertical and waited as the entire system woke up. BB-8 diverted past all the alarms and warnings, shutting them down as the power came back on. The ship was desperate to tell them just how badly it had been damaged, as if it wasn’t obvious. Once the warnings were gone, BB-8 could get into the ship’s internal archives. He beeped happily.

Poe reached into his pocket and grabbed the device. Right beside the controls on the desk was a series of holes made exactly to fit the data drive. He plugged it in and watched the screen’s flashing readout. It wasn’t rejecting the device but it asked for a password. 

“Any clue, bud?” Poe mused, mostly to himself. If this thing had limited attempts... He glanced around and sighed. “This is the only place this drive has worked. We’ve never been so close.”

BB-8 leaned forward and accessed the panel again, picking out letters and typing them in. Poe raised a brow.

“Fulcrum? It’s a good guess as any, I sup-” 

The system accepted the password.

“BB-8, you are a genius!” The droid chirped joyfully and spun in a circle. Poe gave his little head a kiss. “Oh, you are just the best. Let’s take a look, huh?”

After a minute of accessing the newly unlocked files on the drive, Poe began to frown. 

“I don’t understand. What’s Project  _ Promise _ ? Who are all these people? It’s just names.”

It looked to Poe like a roster. A list of names, with vague locations, and no faces to match them with. He didn’t recognise a single one out of the dozens on that- 

“Armitage Hux? Arkanis?” 

He kept reading down the list. It wasn’t alphabetised but there seemed to be some sorting system in place. Age, perhaps? He spotted another name that sent shivers down his spine. Ben Organa. 

Poe was certain now that the First Order was not behind this. They couldn’t be.

“BB-8, do me a favour and copy all this down.” The droid complained about the size. “Then delete something else. I don’t know what I’m looking at but people have died for this. It’s more important than the junk you’ve got piled up in your data banks. No offence.”

The droid would’ve grumbled about the junk in Poe’s head- like his useless knowledge on  Huttese cuisine or weather patterns on Lothal during Spring. Utterly useless. He started downloading the data.

The more Poe stared at the list, the more he worried about finding more and more people he knew. He feared seeing Rey’s name but she wasn’t on it. For a moment, he wondered if Finn’s name was there too- his birth name- but that would be ridiculous. Poe didn’t know what the list was comprised of. They could all be First Order members, ranked by irritability. Hux should’ve been at the very top if that were the case. Perhaps it was a hit list? Targets for someone to assassinate, but then why try to give it to the Resistance? General Organa would never harm her son and she certainly was not going to waste precious credits to send bounty hunters after war criminals. He just couldn’t understand any of it. Just who the hell was Halik Sal anyways? What did they even do to be worthy of such attention?

BB-8 finished his task and chirped, startling Poe from his thoughts. 

“All done? Great. If that’s all, we should-” Poe was suddenly distracted by a familiar ship flying past the viewport. “Huh, she made it after all.”

The relief of seeing Rose’s junker was immediately crushed by the sight of oncoming Tie Fighters. She’d been followed. Poe jumped to his feet and ran in the direction of the stairs. BB-8 followed as fast as he could, tossing his little body down the steps to hurry. Poe threw himself up into his X-Wing just as BB-8 reached him, and he barely waited long enough for the droid to secure himself inside. 

He spun the ship back the way he came and just as he flew out of the engine thrusters, he fired upon a Tie Fighter crossing his path at the wrong moment. The ship blew up before its pilot could react in time, and Poe swerved upwards to get a better look at the mess Rose had brought with her.

Four Ties remained. Two on her tail, one in the distance ready to catch her from the other side, and another flanking her around a tall dune. She wouldn’t be able to avoid them all. Poe dived back down and fired on the two following Rose, blasting them from behind before they could fire back. 

The one flanking had caught sight of Poe, and he hoped Rose could handle the last one by herself. He moved to distract the Tie from her, spinning almost too close so that the pilot was forced to evade, leaving themselves open. Poe underestimated the pilot’s skill. They dropped speed and came up behind Poe. No amount of spinning was shaking them and Poe couldn’t arch upwards and come back down with such dangerous proximity. His lower right wing was suddenly struck, catching the end of his blaster cannon and warping it. 

Poe glanced towards Rose but she’d disappeared from sight. The only thing Poe could think of now was to use the remains of the _Steadfast_ as a battleground. He ducked suddenly into the nearest engine thruster, catching the pilot off-guard for a brief moment. BB-8 panicked as the innards of the Star Destroyer came worryingly close at an alarming speed. Poe hoped to lose them around a sharp corner but instead, he found Rose doing the exact same manoeuvre as him.

Her opponent was still on her tail but Poe knew neither Tie pilot could see each other. He stayed on a collision course with Rose and pointed at her, and then to his left. Either she saw and understood what he had meant, or they’d all die. BB-8 beeped in fear as Rose came closer and closer. At the last possible second, Poe swerved to the right and Rose twisted to the left. Behind them, the Tie Fighters did not see each other until it was too late and they crashed in a fiery ball at immense speed. The warped debris of their ships fell into the chasm of the Destroyer below.

Poe slowed and found his way out through a narrow gap where the  _ Steadfast’s _ hull had been ripped open. Rose landed on the sand and ran out of her junker. Poe wondered why she was heading the other direction when she suddenly bent over and emptied her stomach. He kept a polite distance away.

When she returned, he passed her his water bottle. 

“I never want to do that again,” she grumbled before gargling the water and spitting it back out onto the sand. Poe didn’t really want his bottle back but he tossed it back inside his ship carelessly. 

“So, you made it,” he said with a grin. “Raised a middle finger to the First Order on your way out?”

Rose rolled her eyes. “I don’t _want_ to leave them. But my father cared enough about this to put his life on the line. Have you already cracked it?”

“Yes but I don’t know what we can do with it.” Poe sighed and reached into his pocket. It was empty. He’d forgotten to take it from the bridge. He turned to BB-8. “You downloaded it all, right?”

The droid confirmed with a couple beeps. Poe exhaled in relief. 

“I can show you what was on it, but it was just names. A hundred, maybe, tops. Perhaps you’ll recognise them. Hux was on it. Ren too. I'm not sure about the others.”

Rose stared at him blankly and swallowed. “I just threw my whole life away for some names you don’t even know. I-” She raised her arms up in the air and let them drop heavily against her sides. “Okay. Alright. I did that for nothing. Great.”

“Rose?”

“I had a life, I was looking at a promotion before all of this. I liked my job. Hell, I actually liked my boss and how many people can honestly say that?” Rose continued to ramble, bordering on anger as her voice strained to stay calm. 

“Rose!”

“What?!”

Poe gestured up towards the sky. A transporter was coming down, and they didn’t need it to come any closer to know it was the First Order. 

“They’re tracking you somehow.”

“My ship, maybe? I left it unattended in the hangar for a short while.”

“Maybe, but do you have anything on you that belongs to the First Order? They track everything. Trust me, I would know.”

Rose glanced around and patted her pockets. When nothing interesting came out of those, she glanced back at her ship. 

“Would they track a Captain’s key?”

Poe shrugged. “I’m guessing that’s how they found us in the lower levels. It’s your father’s, right? It probably looked suspicious that he was somehow using it despite...” Poe trailed off. “Leave it all behind.”

“Everything?”

“Anything belonging to the Order.”

“I’m not giving up my uniform, Poe. I told you, I’m not a traitor.” She walked into her ship and came back out with her bag. “If I can find a way, I’ll return to them.”

“Fine, but the ship and the key stay here. Come on, we don’t have time to argument. Transporters aren’t built for combat so if we’re quick, we’ll avoid them.” 

Rose glanced at the horizon and the approaching ship. “Okay. Here.”

She handed him the bag and frowned at the X-Wing. She’d have to sit in his lap most likely, and the thought was souring her already awful day. When Poe climbed in, he seemed to realise that too. Rose did not have fun trying to squeeze herself into the already cramped space, especially when Poe kept rearranging her so he could reach the controls. It was awkward and awful, and it was going to take a while to reach  D’Qar .

The transporter touched ground and stormtroopers flooded out towards the remains of the  _ Steadfast _ , covering the area quickly. The smoking piles of Tie Fighter debris were checked but the pilots inside could not be saved. It was too late for that. 

Pryde stood on the bridge of his old Star Destroyer with his hands clasped together behind his back, and stared at his dead captain. The old green uniform was baggy and loose over the corpse and Pryde sneered at the blaster. Coward. 

The bitter thought came before he could stop himself. The dead man was the only reason Pryde had been able to get on an escape pod and jettison into the Outer Rim, along with most of the crew. Still, what a tremendous loss. He would remember it until his last day. 

A flashing caught his eye. The power had been restored though the machines struggled heavily to carry electricity to the bridge without most of the wiring. Scavengers were nothing but animals. Pryde stepped down into the work station and looked at the only screen turned on. The Resistance was sloppy as always.

He took the data drive and pocketed it safely. Taking out his blaster, he shot the terminal until it sparked and turned on his comm link. 

“Have those engines shut down permanently, I don’t want anyone furthering themselves with Imperial technology,” he said to anyone who could receive his transmission. There were bound to be troopers in the lower levels. 

“Yes, sir,” someone replied.

“Commander, sir?” Another called out. “We’ve secured Lieutenant Tico’s ship, sir. There’s no sign of anyone else but we can search the area.”

Pryde exhaled sharply and kicked the nearest wall before answering. “Don’t bother. She had help and she’ll be long gone by now. Leave the ship intact, I want to search it myself.”

Pryde didn’t listen to the monotone reply of the trooper. He began to walk off the bridge when he paused and looked back. He lifted the comm back up to his lips.

“Send a retrieval team up to the bridge. These soldiers deserve a proper burial.” 

He stayed put for a moment longer, remembering what it was like to stand beside his captain as a young lad and see all the potential. What a waste. The First Order was a joke compared to what the Empire had been. 

Tico’s ship was empty. That didn’t mean she knew what Pryde had been tracking. He thought so until he peered into the cockpit and saw Captain Tico’s key tab still plugged into the console. She was smarter than she looked, but not that smart. She’d brought the First Order right here to her, after all. That’s why Pryde whole-heartedly believed she’d been aided by  Dameron . There was no way she’d taken on Tie Fighters by herself and escaped on foot.  Jakku was too cruel for that.

A trooper came to his side. “Sir? You’ve got an incoming call from General Hux.”

“I’ll take it on the transporter,” Pryde replied stiffly.

At least, it was cold on the troop carrier. The blazing heat made for a highly uncomfortable combination with his dark uniform. He’d forgone his ankle-length cape but that had hardly done much under the unforgiving sun. Pryde slipped off his gloves and ran a hand through his hair, making himself look as presentable as he could, and then he let the call come through.

General Hux did not frighten Pryde. He was nothing but a boy playing the role of a man. However, Hux held Pryde’s career in his childish hands so it was best to nod and agree to anything he said. His image came through the hologram, tall and over-confident, and incredibly enraged. Perhaps that was the General’s permanent appearance these days. Pryde was fortunate enough not to cross paths too often.

“Commander Pryde, explain your actions immediately. I want to know why you felt it reasonable to leave your station with my troops, without my explicit orders.” 

“The  _ Armistice _ is still guarding the Senate, sir. You’re quite safe,” Pryde replied coolly, just to see Hux twitch with anger. “As for the deployment of my assigned Tie Fighters, I was in pursuit of a traitor. I believe they stole something very important.”

“What exactly did they take, to result in ten casualties?” 

Pryde’s hands clenched behind his back. The troopers had sent off the damage report far sooner than he wanted. Hux wasn’t supposed to know just yet.

“A data  drive .” He fished it from his pocket and held it up. “I believe you recognise it.”

“It was deemed useless,” Hux seethed. “You’ve sent ten of  _ my _ men to their deaths over a trivial device. Return to Coruscant immediately, Commander. Or I will bury you with those pilots.”

His connection cut off and Pryde let out a shaking breath. He knew exactly what his punishment would be. The  _ Armistice _ would be given to somebody else. Some jumped-up First Order lackey who’d do anything to gain the General’s favour.  Pryde needed a moment to calm his sinking heart before leaving the safety and privacy of the transporter. The sudden light was blinding but he quickly adjusted to it. However, the sight he came upon was worse than the reality of what awaited on Coruscant.

His troopers were gathered on their knees, hands to their heads, and Pryde halted in his tracks when a long red blade cut in front of him. The hum of the  lightsaber was uncomfortably close to his throat. Pryde didn’t dare move an inch, but his eyes glanced to his right.

He stared at the gridded metal mask covering the  Sith’s face and gulped. His own men were torn between looking down at the sand or up at their commander for help. What could any of them do against Royal Guards? The ominous red figures held their force pikes against the back of the troopers’ necks, fully intending on sending a shock that would kill the men in an instant. If they were merciful. Pryde had seen them in action once, though it seemed that they’d changed from red cloth to red plated armour.

“What is this?” Pryde asked when he finally found his voice again.

“Your interest in certain information is troubling. What did you come here to find?” The  Sith asked. Pryde did not know his name but he recognised him from Lord Ren’s entourage. Yet the  Sith Lord was nowhere in sight. 

“I tracked rebels here.”

“Did they find the information they were looking for?”

Pryde’s fist clenched around the drive. “I believe they did but I’m not sure what they were searching for. I will find them and eradicate them before that knowledge can be used.”

The Knight’s head tilted to the side. “No. You won’t.”

The lightsaber swung into Pryde’s neck, severing his head. His body dropped onto the sand and his head rolled away. The Knight noticed the data drive and pulled it up into his grasp. It had served its purpose. The Resistance would soon know and  consequentially , the Jedi.

Vicrul turned towards the frightened troopers and gestured for the Royal Guards to stand down. 

“Have them brought to Exegol,” he instructed. “They’ll serve a new purpose.”


	9. Chapter 9

** Chapter 9 **

Conflict was inevitable between the First Order and the rebels who refused to cooperate with the new way of life. The influx of stormtroopers on Naboo had not been met with gratitude. It was to be expected but unnecessary violence was breaking out in the streets. Groups of misguided citizens were taking up arms once more. 

Lord Ren saw it as the perfect opportunity to train Finn and to stretch his own legs.  Talok was peaceful, and Ren was growing very bored of the peace. He missed the heat of battle, the racing of his heart when he fought for his life- His instant agreement to help settle the matter startled General Hux, but it was no concern to him who dealt with the rioters as long as they  _ were _ dealt with. Swiftly. He wanted them made into an example. Ren wanted to spill some blood. 

The only loser in this was Finn. 

He sat quietly on a cushion in the dining hall and listened to their increasingly violent suggestions across their holo-call. They fed off each other, he realised. Ren was far from calm and balanced, but the moment the General had demanded to have a talk, the Sith became agitated. No, perhaps excitable; like a hound sent to hunt down the General’s unfortunate prey.

Finn did not want to go to Naboo and hurt people. He did not want to hurt people, end of, but his personal issue on the matter was not being considered at all. Finn was just as interesting to them as a bug on the wall. If he got up and left, neither men would notice. That’s what he  _ thought _ . That wasn’t the reality. As soon as he made a move to get up, Ren turned his head to look at him. 

His eyes held one command. Sit down.

Finn obeyed and resettled on the pillow. 

“Your Knights should join,” Hux added after he drank some wine with his dinner. He ate while he spoke to condense the evening so he could get some decent shut-eye later.

“You never cared for them in the past,” Ren pointed out. 

“I still don’t. But eight  Sith serving the First Order will certainly put out the right kind of message. After all, isn’t that the image you wanted to portray,  _ Supreme _ _ Leader _ ?” Hux drawled the title sarcastically with a barely-concealed smirk. “You haven’t exactly been at the forefront of our organisation lately. Perhaps, a show is exactly what these rats need to be reminded of their place.”

“I’ve been busy,” Ren countered, “There are more pressing matters at the moment.”

Hux raised a brow and set his cutlery down, pushing the plate to one corner of his desk. The other side was piled with reports he’d have to read in the morning.

“Ah, yes. Your... children. I’m afraid that your plans have to wait for a short while. Conquering a galaxy does not take a few months. We’re still in the early stages.” Before Ren could argue, Hux raised a hand. “Calm down, I haven’t  _ dropped _ this pet project of yours. I simply do not have the funds at the moment to build a- school? Boarding home? Whatever you want to call it. Let alone spare the staff in place at my current facilities-”

Hux stopped and lifted his hand to his throat. He glanced worriedly at Ren but the  Sith looked just as confused. They both turned to Finn. The pressure on the General’s throat was not enough to choke him, or even cause pain, but it was a warning. Ren was shocked to see Finn possessed the same strength he did, though his technique was far more inferior than Ren’s. The Sith was incredibly proud of his apprentice but his actions were uncalled for.

“That’s enough,” Ren growled. Finn glared at Hux but his gaze softened in guilt and he dropped his head. “I understand this is a tough subject for you but you will learn some discipline. Let him go. Now, Finn.”

Finn relinquished his hold on the General’s throat and refused to look at either of them. To Ren and Finn’s surprise, Hux chuckled, his voice wavering slightly with the connection. They were so far apart it was impressive that the quality of the  holo was so crisp- Hux might as well have been sat with them in person, though questionably blue.

“Oh wonderful, he’s just like you. Temperamental and overly-emotional.” Hux sighed. He was so tired of dealing with the Sith. “As I was saying before your apprentice rudely interrupted me, I can’t spare the credits or manpower for such a project. Either you’ll have to bring them to Talok or wait until I can step in.”

“You’re telling me you don’t have credit reserves?”

Hux scoffed. “Of course but those are reserved for the First Order in case we run into complications. We want to appeal to the galaxy as their saviours but if we’re broke, how can we support them? I can’t expect you to know what I am dealing with in Coruscant, but this all does not happen in a blink. I have meetings with the banking clans this week to discuss resources. You’re more than welcome to join me for seven hours of funding negotiations.”

Ren’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “Absolutely not.”

“You won’t have a good standing as a Supreme Leader if you don’t lead.”

“Discussing money is not leading.”

“Shows how much you know about leading,” Hux snipped, reaching for the bottle of wine at his feet. It was almost empty. 

“I think you’ve had enough. You forget who you’re talking to.”

Hux scoffed and shook his head, dislodging red strands that had fallen loose over the course of his long day. He tossed his head to the side to move them away from his eyes.

“Considering I am leading the entire First Order through a galaxy-sized transition on my  _ own,  _ I have been handling my drinking rather well.” 

“You always wanted to do it alone,” Ren reminded. “I thought you would be happy.”

“I do,” Hux said too fast, rushing to make sure Ren did not think he ever needed help or depended on the Sith. “Never said I was unhappy.” He seemed to notice the way Ren’s eyes drooped with sleepiness. He didn’t bother checking on Finn, who was vaguely visible at that range. “I think we’ve discussed everything. Can I expect you in Naboo tomorrow?”

“Silver or gold? The platter for their heads, I mean.”

“Gold, please.” Hux smirked and Finn rolled his eyes at him. “I need to get some rest for tomorrow. The shipyards have complained about resources for the new fleet and their foreman gives me daily migraines. Goodnight to you both, and good hunting.” 

He waited a moment in case Ren had anything to say alongside his lazy wave, and turned off the holo-projector. Ren leaned back on his pillow, letting his hands support his weight behind him. He glanced over his shoulder at Finn.

“When did you learn to do that?” He asked. “I didn’t teach you that technique.”

“There’s a technique to strangling someone?” Finn replied bitterly. “Huh. I just wanted him to shut up.”

“We agreed on  this, Finn. It’s what’s best for those kids.” Ren pivoted to face his apprentice. “You wanted to help them. This is how we do it. I know neither of us were prepared for such young children but what did you think would happen?”

“I grew up in a room with twenty other kids, listening to First Order propaganda and being shouted out for not getting perfect results on my tests.” Finn started picking at the loose threads on the hem of his grey shirt to avoid meeting Ren’s eyes. “I never had a single moment of privacy. Everything I did was under constant surveillance. If these kids are going to grow up staring at white walls and never getting a chance to have a childhood- they're better off where they are.”

“They won’t have what you had, Finn. We’d never let that happen.”

“You’re leaving this to  _ him _ ,” Finn sneered with a shake of his head. “You trust him around children?”

Ren nodded and raised his hands as a sign of peace. “Yes. He led the trooper program but he is not the reason you went through that experience. He was just a boy when you were...  taken. It’s different now. Not by much but I can change that. And these children will not be treated the way you were. I promised you we would do this right.”

Ren was getting tired of having this conversation over and over again with Finn. He understood, of course he did, but his apprentice was stuck in the past, reliving memories that were long gone. 

“Trust me. Please.”

Finally, Finn seemed to calm  down. At last, Ren thought. 

“You should get some rest. Naboo is far from here so we’ll leave at dawn.”

Finn had almost forgotten about their new mission. His stomach twisted. “All of us?”

“Yes,” Ren replied sternly, giving Finn no space to argue. “You’re a  Sith apprentice. Act like one.”

Perhaps Ren was just tired but manoeuvring around Finn’s delicate morals was getting difficult. It seemed like every move Ren made to bring Finn closer to the Dark Side was met with hesitation and denial. Sooner or later, Finn would have to let go of his weaknesses, or Ren would let go of him. 

The Sith retired to his room for the night while Finn stayed behind, likely mulling over the upcoming mission.

The sun had barely risen over the tropical trees by the time Ren had prepped the shuttle. It would take hours to reach Naboo even with the less-than-legal modifications to the hyperdrive. He was just waiting on the Knights to finish their own preparations.

Ushar swung his arms out to the side as he came out of the temple, half-drunk from the night before. He threw Ren a grin and declined to help Cardo with carrying supplies onboard the  _ Leviathan-  _ Trudgen's sizeable luxury cruiser-turned-gunship. It would carry the Knights.

“Who are we killing today, boss?”  Ushar asked gleefully.

“Rioters on Naboo who think they can overthrow the First Order. We’ll remind them the Order has more than stormtroopers at its  disposal.” 

Ushar’s grin grew bigger, nastier. “Sounds like fun. Is the kid coming along?”

Ren crossed his arms and tore his eyes away from the busy men moving back and forth across the yard.  Ushar had healed from his injuries back on  Jakku just fine but his confinement to  Talok , per Snoke’s orders and then Ren’s, had left him antsy. 

“Yes, he is. Keep an eye on him.”

“You got it. If he makes a run for it, I’ll catch him myself. I owe him one for last time.”  Ushar smacked a heavy hand on Ren’s shoulder, jolting him. Ren balled his fists. “But is this your doing? This mission?”

Ren frowned. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

Ushar shrugged, unperturbed by Ren’s intense gaze. “All of a sudden, we’re stepping back into the fight just because that ginger twerp on Coruscant says to? If he’s so proud of his troopers, he should use them, not us. We’re not his private army-”

“If you don’t think you can handle a simple assault on untrained civilians, you’re more than welcome to stay behind and guard the temple.” 

The Knight averted his eyes and shook his head. “I want to fight.”

“Then watch your mouth, Ushar.”

Ushar sighed loudly, as if he was being nagged by his mother rather than the Supreme Leader. His lack of respect was grating Ren’s non-existent nerves and it was only daybreak. Ren did not have the patience to deal with the drunkard. He thought about depriving him of oxygen for a minute.

Vicrul’s hand came out of nowhere and smacked  Ushar’s head before Ren could teach him some respect. The younger Knight spun with a growl and glared up at Vicrul’s gridded mask, daring him to try again. 

“You heard the Supreme Leader. Stay in your line, boy,”  Vicrul said calmly. There would be no fight between them.  Ushar was not that skilled in combat. It would be over before it started and yet, it took a long moment for  Ushar to back down and wander off towards his own ship.

“I don’t need your help dealing with that imbecile,” Ren complained quietly.

“Who said you did? I just wanted him to shut up.”  Vicrul glanced over his shoulder as Finn walked down the short temple steps into the landing yard. “Will he be a problem?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“I’ll keep my eyes on him.”

Ren nodded and  Vicrul took his silence as a dismisal. The ships were ready and the Knights were eager to set off. Ren gave Finn a weak greeting as they headed inside the Upsilon shuttle. His apprentice was a bundle of nerves the whole way there.

* * *

General Hux had not embellished the situation on Naboo. The once peaceful planet had been marked by war too many times and the people had tried to re-establish a neutral government since the Empire. Now, any weak attempts to restore the ways of the New Republic were swiftly dealt with by First Order troops. But both the humans and Gungans had had enough of occupation.

The streets were filled with hastily-made barricades and bodies lay in the paved streets of  Theed , unable to be carried away during the conflict. Dozens of civilians had taken up arms alongside the underlying group of local rebels who’d continued to exist since the Empire’s rule. The waterways used by the  Gungans were filled with mines and traps to discourage any divers from disturbing their home.

The ships landed in the plaza where most of the stormtroopers had set up defences. The sight of Lord Ren’s Upsilon did not instil joy in everyone but some of the troops were eager to see an end to this meaningless conflict. The Sith stepped off the ramp confidently, searching the troops for their squad captain. 

The Knights flooded the packed area and those around tried to give them a wide berth. Finn followed Ren quietly, trying not to draw attention to himself. He understood the need for a mask, but wearing one only reminded him of his trooper armour. He had not expected Ren to gift him anything but he took the black helmet gratefully, even if it was unwanted. 

The helmet was cluttered and sharp, with angular panelled cheeks that curved slightly inwards and came to two points just below his chin. The visor was a thick, darkened strip that ran all the way from temple to temple. Deep grooves were cut across into the lower half of the mask just below his nose to his jaw.

It wasn’t as clunky as some of the Knights’ helmets, but it contained the same tech. A comm link, filters against toxins and smoke, and a basic display- nothing quite as advanced as a trooper one, though. It wasn’t a new helmet, either. The metal was scratched in places like it had seen combat. Somehow, it managed to retain a certain elegance and even though Finn could appreciate the effort gone into making the helmet, he did not want it.

Finn did not want to look menacing or frightening. He didn’t want to be here. As if hearing his thoughts,  Vicrul joined his side and lowered his voice so he wouldn’t interrupt Lord Ren and the captain discussing the situation.

“Stay focused, kid. We need you,” he said, inclining his head down though he stood straight and at attention. “The Supreme Leader sees great potential in you. You’re more powerful than you believe.”

“I don’t want to kill anyone. I won’t.”

“It’s you or them, Finn. They won’t grant you mercy.”

“This is their home, they have every right to defend it.”

Vicrul chuckled. “No, it’s ours. Everyone else is falling in line and accepting the First Order, but not these people. We have to set an example. This is what happens when you reject us. How else will the others learn about the consequences?” He glanced down at the tense apprentice. “Who do you care more about? Strangers, or your old brothers-in-arms?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“One that I very much want an answer to. If you had to choose between a fellow trooper or some random person you’ve never met, who would you kill?” 

Finn swallowed and shook his head. There was a tightening pressure around his wrist, but when he looked down,  Vicrul was not touching him physically.

“Pick. Who dies?”

“I don’t-” The pressure increased painfully and Finn held back a whimper. “I would save the trooper.”

“I didn’t ask who you’d save. Who dies, Finn?”

“The stranger,” he said eventually. His wrist stopped hurting.

“Good. Now make that choice every single time. The Sith are your family now. You are loyal only to us, and by extension, the First Order. They are inferior but an army is useful to have lying around. You protect your own kind, Finn, and you fight for them.” 

Vicrul looked back at the crowd of troopers. Some were returning from the fray, injured and bleeding across the plaza. 

“These rebels have chosen to kill your men. You cannot let them continue this way. As soon as the threat is dealt with, the rest of the population will fall in line and we won’t have to come back. You do this once, you do it right, and you’ll have all the control you could ever want.”

“It’s not  control I’m after,” Finn countered softly.  Vicrul could tell his words were slowly getting through the stubborn kid’s head. 

“Kylo told me. The Resistance is responsible for the death of your friend. You lost someone dear to your heart and the Resistance is to blame. Your friend is not the only one they’ve needlessly sent to their deaths and he won’t be the last. They are responsible for all of this.” Vicrul nodded towards the bloodied troopers. “How many more are you going to let them kill before you punish those responsible? If we don’t put an end to this war, many more will die.”

Finn stared up at him, his eyes wide behind the visor. 

“This is what the Resistance does. They inspire chaos and disorder. If you stand aside and you don’t fight for us, for our family, you might as well pick up a blaster and kill those troopers yourself.” 

Finn would never, ever turn against them. He couldn’t.

“I think... I understand now.”

“Prove it, Finn. We’re all counting on you. Kylo is counting on you.”

Finn refused to disappoint him.  Vicrul gave him a Force-shove towards Lord Ren and the captain, both of whom were completely unaware of the clarity brought to Finn’s mind. He looked at the medics rushing to help the wounded before he came to Ren’s side to listen in on the plan. 

The worst of the conflict was happening beyond the plaza, in the streets and alleyways. A group of rebels had chosen an old house as their last line of defence but before Ren or Finn could think about storming it, they had to get past the men and women waiting with blasters and stun grenades.

Ren separated the Knights into two teams to flank the rebels from the roads, and took Finn with him. Blaster fire was immediate and Finn reacted fast, activating his  lightsaber to deflect the bolts into the surrounding walls. The blue glow reflected off his mask as he defended himself and searched for cover.

Ren had no fear. He threw himself right into the middle of the fight, throwing the furthest humans against walls and dragging the nearest right into the path of his saber. He spun and weaved through the rebels like a dancing shadow, cutting down anyone in his path until the street was clear. 

Finn hurried to join him but as he jogged past a barricade, a rebel ran towards Ren with a knife. Finn didn’t think or hesitate. His hand whipped out to the side and yanked the rebel head-first into the wall. He slumped dead to the ground and Ren turned to look at Finn.

It had been a test. They both knew it. Ren was in no immediate danger, but he could have been. Finn was relieved he’d reacted in time. 

Ren nodded firmly once and carried on as if nothing had happened. 

A whole cluster of streets had been claimed by rebels but Finn was not expected to take them all on. He could hear screams coming from the distance as the Knights worked their way through. Their path seemed to have the least amount of conflict but he did not let his guard drop, especially as they finally came upon the house.

The windows and doors had been reinforced but even Finn could tell it would all be useless against the  Sith Lord. It was a desperate last stand. These rebels had been misguided into the belief they could win this war by themselves. The Resistance had lied to them all.

Ren stopped in front of the house and gestured for Finn to take the lead. His apprentice took a hesitant step forward, and then another. He reached out and focused on pulling the entrance doors off their hinges. It tired him but the metal gave in, creaking and crumpling as he refused to give up. The hinges broke off and the doors flew out into the street, clanging against the cobblestones. Finn stared at them and then up to Ren, but the Sith was already storming his way inside.

The house was darkened by the lack of windows and in the darkness, Lord Ren’s fiery saber was the only light. The rebels could hide all they liked, it would never be enough. 

“Take upstairs,” he instructed Finn. “Kill anyone you find. No exceptions.”

“Yes, master,” Finn replied quietly as his saber lit the way up the stairs.

Ren stayed on the ground floor and moments later, screams pierced the air. Finn startled and struggled to search the rooms calmly. It was a small house but perhaps it had a basement. He came upon a door and used the Force to open it, standing safely against the wall in case someone felt like charging at him.

The room looked empty but Finn searched the closets and beneath the bed. When he opened the cupboard doors, a pair of eyes blinked up at him. A young woman, dressed in rebel-brown clothes, held her hands up pleadingly. Finn faltered. 

That man in the streets had been trying to kill Ren. This woman was just hiding. She wasn’t hurting anyone. Finn turned off his saber.

“Just stay quiet. Don’t make a noise,” Finn begged her quietly. She nodded through her tears as he closed the doors back on her. 

Finn stepped out of the room and into the hallway, and slammed right into  Ushar’s chest. One meaty hand steadied him by his shoulder. 

“Easy, kid. This is an active war zone,”  Ushar joked, shaking Finn vigorously. “All clear up here?”

“Y-yeah. No one up here. I think Lord Ren got them all.”

Ushar hummed. He was grinning with too many sharp teeth behind his mask. “That so? Shame.”

A noise came from the room Finn had just left. He felt his heart drop to the floor and roll across the ground. Ushar grabbed his shirt and dragged him away from the door. When he opened it, the girl Finn had protected was trying to climb out of the window. Ushar yanked her back by the hair and ran her through with his  saber , turning so that Finn could see the life fade from her eyes. He dropped the woman’s body and stepped over it, turning off his  saber .

“All clear, you said.”

“She must have hidden well-”  Ushar yanked him by the collar, lifting Finn up so high his toes left the safety of the ground. “Let me go!”

“Sure thing.”

Finn was thrown down the stairs. He bounced on one step and rolled down to the bottom, to  Kuruk’s feet. She looked up in confusion but did not volunteer to help Finn, even as he whimpered and hissed in pain trying to crawl away as  Ushar stomped down the stairs.

“Please... Just-” A boot on Finn’s back slammed the air from his lungs and he was pinned to the wooden floor. “Kylo!”

“Good idea, call for him. Let’s see what he thinks about this.”

The heavy footfalls of Lord Ren came from deeper in the house, and he emerged with his helmet tucked beneath his arm. The  Sith glanced between Finn and  Ushar , and then to  Kuruk for an explanation. She shrugged.

“He was protecting one of them,”  Ushar explained. “Told you he was scum. I told you all, didn’t I?” He gestured to  Ap’lek and  Vicrul , who watched the scene from a safe distance behind Ren. “Want me to do the honours, boss?”

“ Theed has been neutralised,” Ren spoke calmly. “ Kuruk , report to the captain. Tell him Naboo belongs to the First Order again and that any other incidents will fall on his head.”

“Yes, Lord Ren.” She bowed respectfully and went out into the street, the skirts of her long leather coat swaying with her brisk movements. 

“Where are Cardo and Trudgen?”

“Checking the basement for any hidden intel,”  Ap’lek provided. “It’s possible the rebels were in contact with other groups.”

“Go give them a hand.”

It left  Ushar and  Vicrul to deal with this mess. The former did not feel as confident as before without an audience to protect him.  Vicrul crossed his arms like he was enjoying a show. Ren finally looked at Ushar.

“Take your filthy boot off my apprentice,” Ren demanded coldly. 

Ushar obeyed but he was not thrilled. “He’s not one of us.”

Finn twisted away from  Ushar and stumbled to his feet with a wince. Every bone was aching sharply and the muscle above his left hip had landed badly on the edge of a step. He glared at  Ushar as he sought the safety of Ren’s side. He couldn’t stand completely straight without a sharp pain stabbing down his back, so he hunched over, partly sheltered by his master’s body. The anger he felt coming from the Sith felt comforting despite the mess he’d made. It wasn’t directed at him. At least, not for now. Suffocating beneath the helmet, Finn took it off.

Ren glanced down at him and his disappointment made Finn’s blood run ice cold. Finn could not hold his gaze and dropped it to the ground.

“I gave you direct orders,” Ren said to him. “I expected them to be followed. We’ll discuss a suitable punishment later. But you, Ushar-”

The Knight stared defiantly.

“You have tested my patience for far too long. You harmed my apprentice.”

Ushar gestured wildly with his hands. “I’m willing to do what it takes. He’s scum. He will never be a Sith no matter how much you coddle him. Just save yourself the trouble and end him already. He’s wasted enough of your ti-”

Ushar fell silent suddenly. Finn glanced up, expecting him to clutch at his throat, but the Knight was perfectly still. Not a moment later, they all heard a wet crunch and blood ran down from the gap beneath Ushar’s helmet and onto his armour. He fell back against the stairs.

Finn stared at the unmoving body and saw  Vicrul’s hand out of the corner of his eye. It landed on Finn’s shoulder; and even though he clearly saw it coming, the touch startled the ex-trooper. He suspected it was similar to what a father might do when reassuring his child monsters weren’t real. But they were real and standing right next to Finn. 

He saw  Vicrul reach subtly for one of his own sabers. The Knight moved as if he planned to avenge his fallen friend but Ren interrupted him.

“How many did you try to save, Finn?”

His apprentice refused to look him in the eyes. If he had, he would’ve seen traces of gold and red swirling in them. “It was just a woman. She wasn’t trying to hurt me, she was scared.” 

“Is she dead?”

“Ushar killed her.”

“Then we are done here.  Vicrul , tell the others to head back to  Talok . Make sure  Ushar’s weapons are retrieved before he’s cremated. No point wasting good equipment.”

Vicrul whipped his head towards Ren, glowering. “Cremated? We bury our own!”

“He was not one of us. Not since I dealt with Snoke. The Knights are loyal only to me, or they are nothing. Ushar was not loyal.”

Vicrul knew that was far from the truth but he bit his tongue. “Is that what I tell the others?”

“Yes. If you need to reach me, I will be on Coruscant.” Tossing his dark hair out of the way, Ren tipped his head back an inch to slide his helmet back on. “Finn, come.”

Finn hastily shoved his helmet on too and  Vicrul gave his wrist a firm squeeze, almost like a warning, before he was out of that awful house and heading back towards the shuttle. Ren said nothing to him the entire way back. Finn had failed this mission. All because he didn’t want to kill someone. What did it matter? She was dead now.

* * *

Finn had never dreamt he’d see the famous skyline of Coruscant in person. It was bigger than he thought, and more beautiful, but he could not appreciate the sight. His heart had stopped pounding insanely fast long ago out of fear that Ren would drop him off on an uninhabited planet. The Sith was silent and it was not the sort of companionable silence that came with long trips. Ren was certainly not a fan of small talk but this was an angry silence, simmering beneath a cold expression.

Finn kept his mouth shut. 

He stared out of the viewport at the ancient Senate dome. From its prong-like spires were enormous red flags printed with the First Order symbol and the statues that had once lined the open courtyards leading to the entrances had been removed. Tie Fighters screeched past the shuttle as they patrolled the district. What caught Finn’s eye was the utterly imposing Star Destroyer hovering at a safe altitude above the Senate and the Executive buildings, like a guardian. He’d never seen one outside of the vacuum of space..

Who would dare try to attack the heart of the Order with that monstrosity above it? It was frightening to see up close but Ren was landing the shuttle inside the Executive offices of the late Emperor. 

Ren was surprised to see it still standing after so many conflicts, even after the fall of the Empire. He had not visited since he was a boy, tagging along with his parents to dull gatherings. The landing bays in the upper half of the dome gave him quicker access. He wanted this meeting over and done with, but Hux needed a report and he would not settle for a weakly-written note sent to his data pad. That was the excuse he’d give Hux if asked. In truth, he did not want to return home and face the judgement of his Knights.

Ushar had been trouble since the beginning but he had been a Knight beneath Snoke and commanded a certain level of respect. Regardless of his stature, the Knights were a mismatched family and closely-knit, and he could not predict their reactions. Ren had not even given him the choice of exile. He could not blame it solely on  Ushar’s lack of loyalty either- he had been doing exactly what Ren had asked. When he looked across to Finn, Ren wondered how far he would go to keep his apprentice by his side.

The hangar was not lively and the few troopers guarding the docking bays watched them curiously. Even if Ren did not know exactly where the General had made an office for himself, he marched the halls in confidence. Finn followed meekly, and for once, he was glad that the helmet hid his face. 

Ren stopped a couple of troopers in the middle of their patrol to ask where the General was. Finn wasn’t paying much attention to their answer, he started retreating back in the safety of his mind where he didn’t feel like everyone was judging him. Ren was disappointed and ashamed, and Finn knew he was right to be.

Hallways after hallways. This building was a maze and Finn would not have been able to find his way back through the repeating corridors. The décor consisted of red flags and the occasional propaganda, and nothing more. It was dull and nothing was worth looking at twice. Not until they reached the top floor and came upon a set of double doors guarded by four stormtroopers. Two stood beside the doors and two by the elevator Finn had just exited. 

Instead of the standard white armour, they wore crimson red  plastoid and bore the black symbol of the Order over their hearts. Their rifles were far more advanced than anything Finn had ever gotten his hands on and they were equipped with vibro-blades. 

Ren did not speak but the red troopers at the doors leaned to open them for him. He strode inside the office, leaving Finn a couple steps behind admiring the striking armour. 

“You’re still in one piece,” Hux called out from his desk, setting down his work to stand. “I take it the mission was a success?”

Once the doors had shut after his apprentice, Ren took off his helmet and set it down on one of the leather chairs. He went to stand at the  transparisteel wall behind the desk, and looked out across the city. Despite the heavily controlled airspace, commerce and traffic had returned to normal and he took a moment to observe the passing ships.

“Naboo is indisputably yours once more,” the  Sith confirmed, much to the General’s delight. “I suggest you find a better overseer for  Theed than your current one. The people are upset but I think our fight today settled their priorities towards survival over conflict.”

“Excellent. Your presence will have certainly swayed others to behave. If only the other hundreds of systems would fall in line just as swiftly.”

“I’ll send you an official report tomorrow. It’s possible they contacted other Resistance members but I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know as soon as I can.” Ren sighed and turned away from the window. “It’s been a tiring day.”

Hux waved his hand towards a crystal decanter on one of his many shelves. He had not wasted time relocating his belongings into the Chancellor’s old office, though the décor was far more modern and industrial. 

“For once, that is a good idea,” Ren agreed as he went to pour himself a drink. While he was preoccupied, Hux turned to Finn and raised a brow at the odd helmet. The similarities between the ex-trooper and Ren were alarming. 

“You don’t need that  ridiculous thing in here. Sit, make yourself comfortable.”

Finn did not rush to remove his helmet because he knew his thoughts were written clearly on his face. Hux frowned at Ren.

“What did you do to him? He looks like a kicked dog.” The General shook his head and nudged Ren away from the decanter, and poured a drink for Finn. “Here, take it. You look like you could use the whole barrel.”

“Don’t encourage your vices on my apprentice,” Ren objected even as he drank and threw himself onto one of the large red couches taking up the left section of the remodelled room. The raised platform for the desk was still in place but the rest of the floor was smoothed out onto one level and made far more inviting than the previous style. There were places to sit and decompress after a long day.

“I’m not! I’m merely saying he could use a pick-me-up.” 

Finn took the offered glass and sat down further away from Ren than he normally would. Hux noticed and chose to say nothing. He didn’t care what sort of quarrel was going on between the two  Sith . 

As Finn made himself comfortable on the plush leather, an orange blur jumped on the armrest beside him and the Sith-in-training almost dropped his glass in fright. It was just a Loth-cat. It stared at him with wide, unblinking green eyes. Finn nervously reached out, fearful of teeth and claws, and let the small animal sniff his fingers before it purred loudly and rubbed its massive head against his knuckles. The cat climbed down into his lap and curled up, purring as Finn stroked its fuzzy back. He was quite content doing this for hours.

“Do you have any spare beds here?” Ren asked out of nowhere several few minutes later. “I don’t wish to fly back to  Talok just yet.”

Hux scoffed as he took a seat beside the  Sith Lord, folding his legs beneath him. Any sort of respectful behaviour seemed to be thrown out of the window when alcohol was involved, or perhaps Finn had underestimated the bond they shared. Or it could’ve been the lack of eyes and ears in the office allowing Hux to ease into a state of comfort he’d never been privy to. 

“I have more rooms available here on Coruscant than people to use them. The floor beneath my office has rooms you can use, though I believe the smell of paint is still lingering. The New Republic had left this place in a terrible state. Half of this building is still being remodelled but as I told you last night, I don’t have the resources to splurge on aesthetics.”

“All I need is a door that locks.”

Hux chuckled. “That can be arranged. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, but I’m afraid I won’t be much company after tonight. My schedule is packed to the brim. If I’m lucky, I’ll get a couple hours of rest at my desk.”

Ren frowned without much real concern. He just needed a distraction after the day he’d had. Finn seemed to be of the same mindset. “I thought you’d take an apartment for yourself.”

“I did.” Hux stretched over the back of the couch to point out one of the glistening towers in the distance. “However, like you, all I need is a locked door, and I waste valuable time travelling. The surface of my desk and my face are well acquainted.” He glanced at Ren and sighed with a frown. “The leather may be red but I’d prefer you to keep bloodstains off of it.”

The  Sith looked down at the dried blood on his hands and sleeves and then back up to Hux. “Is that your polite way of telling me to use the ‘fresher?”

“Maybe.” 

Ren could tell he had an ulterior motive for wanting him out of the room. Hux was never polite when noting the dirt and stains. He would poke fun until Ren went to clean himself up. The  Sith stood reluctantly and placed his empty glass on the low table between the couches, and stalked towards the door Hux pointed at. 

Finn glanced up nervously at Hux when Ren disappeared. He suddenly felt trapped.

“So, I can tell something went wrong,” Hux said softly, standing so he could relocate to Finn’s side. His hand reached across to play with the sleepy cat’s head but his eyes were fixed on Finn and his inquisitive gaze was expectant.

Finn hesitated to speak but he swallowed his fear. “Ushar’s dead.  Kylo killed him without warning. It was my fault. I couldn’t do the one thing  Kylo asked of me.”

“How did that result in his death?”

“ Ushar got angry with me, hurt me.  Kylo wasn’t having it, I guess.” Finn gulped down the wine. It was too sweet for his liking. “I didn’t mean for any of it to happen.”

Hux glanced at the door Ren had left through. “I’m sure you didn’t.”

“And I’m sorry, for last night. I know you’re not to blame for what happened to me as a kid. You were a kid too. I got angry, lost control. I’m sorry. I just want what’s best for those kids.” 

Hux had a strange expression, like Finn had doused him in ice water. He recovered fairly quickly to his credit. “I understand. You know, I was worried you’d turn into him but I see a difference in you. I can see you’re struggling but you’re not quite as scared as you were last time we saw each other in person.” Hux settled himself more comfortably. “I meant what I said; about helping you hide your powers. I would have helped you, and now, I think I still can. The Dark Side, the Light, the balance of the Force- it's all such nonsense. It’s manipulative crap.”

Finn shook his head. “I don’t think Kylo would agree with you.”

Hux rolled his eyes. “Find me something we  _ do _ agree on. Look, if you ever wanted to stay here- my troopers out there are one thing but a Force sensitive as my private guard? No one could touch me. You can have anything you want. Anything. And I wouldn’t be throwing you into warzones or searching for relics, or whatever Ren has you doing over there.”

Finn turned towards him. The offer was tempting. “And I would do what exactly?”

“Protect me. Stand menacingly in the corner while I travel for meetings and deal with disagreeable people. Use the Force against them if they try anything. I had Captain Phasma at my side for a long time but she’s fighting for our cause in Mandalore.” As if sensing Ren finishing up, Hux stood sharply. “It would be an incredibly boring job most days but you’d be paid well. Think about it.”

Ren stepped out of the refresher with a lot less blood on his clothes than before. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and grabbed his glass on the way to refill it. When he glanced at Finn, he noticed how much calmer his apprentice was. Hux was a blank slate, unreadable. A prod to his mind was met with a wall and a warning glare.


	10. Chapter 10

** Chapter 10 **

D’Qar was too quiet for Leia’s liking. She never thought she would miss having to squeeze past people in the halls to get to where she was headed, or hearing overlapping voices informing her about the latest attack plan against the First Order. 

Her day was still busy. Intel from all corners of the galaxy needed to be decoded and added to the long list of things going very wrong everywhere. She stared at the report from Naboo- her team there had been ripped apart by Kylo Ren. Every system was panicking about the influx of Sith sent out to deal with the rebels. If the First Order had eight at their disposal to use for such a simple task, how many more did they have in reserve?

Leia had no answer. She knew of her son and his Knights but the eighth individual was unknown to her. The holographs were taken from stealth droids and she observed the image of her son for a long time. It was Luke’s polite knock on the table that woke her from her thoughts. She had not noticed him standing there beside her.

“Naboo’s gone,” Leia informed softly, setting down the data pad. Luke glanced briefly at  Kylo . “ Mandalore is falling quickly. All of our major supporters are bowing to the First Order.”

Luke sighed and sat on the edge of the table. “Can you truly blame them? None of them want to be vaporised by  Starkiller .”

“I feel like our time here is running out.”

“No one knows where we are, Leia.”

“No one knew about Vandor either. Ben saved us. I don’t think he will do it again.”

“Where’s your hope?”

Leia raised a brow at him. “I don’t know these days. Rey has been gone for months. Poe is  _ somewhere _ . My son is leading our enemies, and Han... He’s on  Takodana again, isn’t he?”

“Only place he can have a steady supply of alcohol and avoid the Hutts. Chewie’s keeping an eye on him but you know Han as well as I do. I was thinking I give him a visit. Make sure he hasn’t gambled the Falcon away. Again.”

“Do you think Rey will ever come back?”

Luke’s face fell as he shrugged. “I can’t say. She’s angry, lost. I hope  someday she’ll come back to us but Rey cut herself off from the Force. Or at least, from me.”

“Pardon the interruption,”  Threepio chimed from the corridor, “But Captain  Dameron has returned and he is not alone.”

Leia’s heart swelled with hope as she followed the droid up to the hangars. The sight of Black One was comforting but more so was  Dameron . 

“It’s about time you came home,” she greeted softly, planning on taking him into her arms. She stopped when she noticed a young lady ducking beneath the folded wings of the star fighter. “Hello.”

Rose almost banged her head in shock. Her mouth gaped and closed as she looked between Leia and Poe. She wiped her hands on her coat and stood at attention, unsure of exactly how she  _ should _ behave around an enemy General. 

Poe gestured with his open palm. “This is Rose. She’s helped me out a lot these last few months. Rose, this is General Organa, and Master Skywalker.”

Luke gave her a friendly wave. Leia cast a questioning look to Poe before smiling at Rose.

“Welcome to the Resistance, Rose.”

“Thank you, General. But I’m not a rebel, I-” Rose shut her mouth. 

Leia sighed and crossed her arms. “ Dameron , did you drag another stormtrooper into my home?”

“A Lieutenant, actually. She’s a little rough around the edges but she’s a good kid.” Poe winked at Rose, much to her disgust. “I wouldn’t have been able to complete my mission without her.”

“Please don’t execute me. I can be useful, I swear,” Rose rushed to say. 

“No one will hurt you, my dear. This is a place for second chances.” Leia swept past Poe and put an arm around Rose’s shoulders to guide her inside the base. “You are not the only defective member to come to us. Poe seems to have a knack for finding people like you. Perhaps it’s his charm.”

Rose scoffed and shook her head. “It is definitely not his charm.”

Poe never should have brought her back. He prayed Rose would never meet Rey. He would not survive an hour with those two set against him. As if reading his mind, Luke clapped his shoulder. 

“Leia’s right. You do have a record. Welcome home, Poe.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ve missed it a lot but I did what the General asked of me. I think perhaps you should see it too.”

The roster was pulled up from BB-8's memory banks and displayed as a hologram above the large meeting table of the command centre. Rose glared at it for a while before her energy seemed to drain and she took a seat furthest from the gathered rebels. 

She hadn’t expected their base to look so well-maintained. They were deep underground and the lack of sunlight was disturbing, but the halls and rooms were lit brightly by white bulbs. The roots coming through the walls were a touch messy and odd, but she’d expected a dirty hovel- not all this technology. What shocked her the most was that the place was empty. The Resistance surely could not be a handful of people. How could they have caused so much mayhem by themselves?

“I don’t recognise many names,” Leia admitted as she finished reading through the  hundreds on the list. “I’m surprised they used my son’s birthname.”

“That’s what made me think it couldn’t be the First Order,” Poe added. “Not many people know his real name. Snoke wouldn’t have shared it out.”

“I wouldn’t rule him out so easily, Poe,” Luke cut  in. “That monster was smart and  patient .”

“So either this is old intel, or someone outside the Order. But it was used recently. Right around the time we caught scent of it. Snoke was still alive then.”

Leia sighed and leaned back in her chair. “So we have a list of names that date back to the Clone Wars and has since been added to, right until his death. Why send this to us?” 

“We have locations, too. Is it worth checking them out? Can we spare the effort?”

“We have to, don’t we? We know it came with a warning from the Dark Side.”

Luke scrolled through the names again, his expression souring. “Perhaps, they are Force users. Snoke kept an eye on anyone he thought could be interesting for his plans. Ben was one of them but there were others.” 

“What about Hux? He’s on there too. He’s not Force sensitive. At least, I...” Poe remembered being utterly powerless to the General in that cell. His blaster had whipped out of his hand into the wall. He dragged a hand through his hair. That had not been Kylo. “ Kriff ... he’s one of them too.”

“If he is, he’s certainly not made a show of it like Ben,” Luke replied with a sigh. “If this is the purpose of this list, then we have to find them. Where’s the original drive?”

“On  Jakku but I’m sure it’s in First Order hands by now.”

“Commander Pryde would have it,” Rose said, speaking for the first time since she’d entered the room. They’d entirely forgotten about her presence. “He came after me. I led him there by accident. He would’ve read it, and I promise you, he would not have given it to Hux.”

“Bad blood between them?” Leia asked.

“They hate each other. If Pryde had anything to lord over Hux, he’d take it. He’ll be on the  _ Armistice.  _ T hat old Star Destroyer on Coruscant.”

Poe slapped his knees. “Well, we’re  _ never _ getting that back then! Great!”

“You’re the one that left it behind,” Rose argued.

“Yeah, well, you were being shot at and I wanted to help you. Excuse me for trying to save your life.”

Leia and Luke shared an amused glance. 

“So, what do we do, General?” Poe asked as he tried hard to ignore the glares from Rose. “A lot of them are scattered around the galaxy.”

“I’ll contact my sources near these people, see what comes out of it. For now, I don’t think there’s a whole lot we can do.” Leia turned off the holo-projector. “Rose, you’re more than welcome to stay here with us.”

“Thank you, General, I appreciate that.”

Leia stood and rubbed  Poe’s shoulder as she walked past. “Get some rest,  Dameron . You’ve been running around for far too long.”

Luke followed her out into the hall.

“About Han...”

She smiled sadly. “Go on, go find him. I know you’re worried to bits.”

“I am. I’ll try to bring him back.”

“Good luck with that. Be safe out there.”

Luke pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. “You too, sis.”

* * *

Han woke with a blistering headache right behind his eyes, in a stone room that was beginning to look far too familiar these days. He groaned as he pushed himself upright from his cot. The last thing he remembered was heading back to the Falcon to sleep but somewhere along the way, he’d gotten side-tracked and now he was in the castle’s storage rooms. Again.

“Fuck me...” He grunted as he screwed his eyes shut against the bright sunlight coming through the narrow, barred window high above him. When the pain subsided a little, he opened them to see someone drunkenly passed out in the corner.

They were humanoid but green and with two heads perched on elongated necks. Han sighed and looked at the door. When he tried to stand, the floor beneath his muddy boots acted like bouncy rubber.

“Stop... moving like that,” he said to the tiles as he stumbled to open the door. It wasn’t locked, so he had not woken up in a drunk-tank. Though Maz could certainly send him  right to one if she got sick of him. Which she already was but Han was paying to be inebriated, so she couldn’t refuse his presence. Right?

The stairs were... complicated. Han could disassemble the Falcon down to her bolt screws and put her back together, but stairs? Impossible. He must have been climbing them for hours, swaying against the wall and crawling on his knees when he feared he’d  fall. He certainly felt like he’d aged another decade by the time he got to the top, only to realise he’d barely made it halfway up. 

He heard the gentle growling of his best friend up above him and flayed a hand towards him. Chewie wasn’t sure if Han was asking for help, or greeting him with a wave. He pulled the human into his arms and carried him up into the cantina.

“ S’too early to drink, Chews...” Han slurred as he eyed the bar upside down. The cantina was almost empty and the smell of freshly cooked breakfast made his stomach rumble. The bar grew smaller and further away. “Hey, wait, where-”

It was cold outside beneath the shadows of the castle but Chewie walked into the sunlight and carefully deposited Han at the edge of the lake. He sat on the fine sand beside him and stared out across the glistening water. Han groaned against the bright light and shoved a hand over his eyes. 

“You don’t look too good, Han,” Luke stated as he pulled off his cloak and draped it over Han’s shoulders, pulling up the hood over his head. Han buried his face in the brown cloth. “Chewie’s filled me in on your adventures.”

“Snitch...”

Chewie huffed a laugh and fidgeted with a stone in his large paws. He tossed it into the water, cheering as it splashed loudly. Luke grabbed the nearest rock and threw it further and higher. Chewie stared at him blankly.

“It’s not cheating to use the Force!”

Chewie disagreed and threw another stone, beginning a friendly competition with Luke until all the rocks around them had been tossed back into the lake. Luke nudged Han with a bottle from his satchel.

“Here. For your hangover. Thala-siren milk.”

Han took the bottle and grimaced. “Why is it green?”

“Because it is. Drink, you old fool. I thought you wanted to die in a blaze of glory, not from too much  Corellian wine. You can’t keep running from the Hutts.”

“Watch me.” Han sipped some of the green milk and gagged. It was putrid but he could already feel the effects.

“Han... Poe came back. He got the intel and we believe it’s a list of Force sensitives Snoke wanted to get his hands on.”

“He’s dead. What does it matter?”

“It matters because we don’t know who else has it. Do you want the First Order to have an army of Sith?” More so than they already had, Luke failed to add.

“Of course not. What about Rey? Has she come home yet?”

Luke shook his head. “No. I can’t sense her. She’s cut me off. She was headed to Tatooine in search of her parents. We have Leia to thank for that idea.” Luke instantly regretted his bitterness. “I’ve thought about going to find her, but I know I’m the last person she’d want to see.”

“If you’re about to ask me to go to Tatooine-”

“I only came to check you hadn’t died yet.” Luke took the empty bottle from Han’s hands. Chewie patted his friend’s back gently. “In all seriousness, I wanted to speak with you.”

“Well, I’m here and not going anywhere. What is it?” Han slowly pulled the hood back as his headache disappeared. The light stung his eyes a little but he adjusted.

“I owe you an apology. More than an apology. I don’t think words could ever make up for the mistakes I’ve made in life.” Luke reached out and took Han’s hand, linking their fingers. “I’ve hurt you more than I can ever atone for. With Ben, and now Rey. They were your children and I took them from you.

“Ben took the title of Supreme Leader since you left. He’s leading the First Order. And I could not save him from that life when I had the chance. And Rey... she was your daughter. I scared her away with the truth of her heritage. I never, ever, wanted this to happen. I am truly sorry, Han.”

“You didn’t turn Ben to the Dark Side. That was Snoke,” Han corrected, squeezing Luke’s hand, “And Rey was always going to find out some day. You did what you could, Luke. I don’t blame you. I never have.”

“Then you’re a bigger fool than I realised.”

Han nudged into him with his shoulder. “We both are. So... Rey’s on Tatooine, huh? Where the Hutts have a lovely summer resort?”

“Yes, she’s alone. Unless she found her mother and then she’s in even more danger than by herself.”

Han glanced up at Chewie. “How do you feel about going back to that dust ball?” Chewie was not eager, but he’d do anything for Rey. “Alright then, help me up so I can get to my ship.”

Luke stood and pulled Han to his feet with Chewie’s help. Han sighed and leaned most of his weight against the Wookie. The grass was less rubbery than the tiles but he still struggled to make it to the Falcon. Chewie dropped him in the seat behind the pilot’s position, which Luke took with a grin.

“No...”

“You can’t fly like this. Now, be good and sit there quietly.” Luke started up the engines with Chewie’s assistance. Han groaned and closed his eyes. Perhaps he could sleep through Luke’s awful flying.

* * *

Rey was certain she’d lost half her body weight through sweat by now, but she didn’t care about the state of her soaked clothes or the fine hairs stuck to her forehead and cheeks. Her enemy would not win over her. She refused to stop even when her body burned with exhaustion and she lost her slippery grip on her staff. 

Rey steadied herself on her good leg and curled the metal one up, kicking her opponent in the centre mass. Her kicking was getting better, stronger. She was prepared for the impact and the spring recoil in the artificial joints. As she spun and jumped backwards to safety, she gave herself a single second to readjust her body. With a sprint forward, she pulled her staff up from the sand with the Force into her hands and vaulted, propelling herself into the centre mass and knocking it down at last. With her knees at either side, the end of her staff came down with a final killing blow.

Wiping sweat from her forehead, Rey dropped the staff and slumped down onto the badly-abused sand bag and embraced it weakly.

“Is it dead yet?”  Duri asked from the comfort of a rocking chair on the porch. “I think I saw it twitch. You know, if you want to kill something- there's a bunch of rodents in the cantina.  Seyk’s been meaning to hire someone to take care of it.”

“I’m not an exterminator,” Rey wheezed, pressing her cheek to the cool fabric. “Plus,  Seyk would never pay for the labour.”

Duri pointed at Rey over the rim of her cup. “You’re right, but don’t say that to his face. Come get something to drink, little star.”

Rey pushed back her hair and stood with a grunt, looking down at the angry face she’d crudely drawn on the cloth. She reached for the bag’s chains with her metal arm and pulled up, using the Force when she struggled under the weight, and hooked it back on its supports.  Duri had given her an old set of clamps from a droid assembly line. Once it was back in place, she walked under the shade of the porch.

Duri held out a second cup and filled it with fresh water. When Rey leaned to grab it, her guardian’s nose crinkled.

“Oh, girl, you need a shower.”

Rey rolled her eyes before gulping her drink down. “I still don’t understand how you manage to get so much water out here. I don’t remember having this much when I was a kid. You used to be frugal with it, like everyone else around here.”

Duri chuckled. “I have my methods with the farmers around here. Some need a little convincing by means of blaster fire in the middle of the night, others just need a more feminine approach.” She winked. “It wouldn’t be all fun if I had to threaten them all, would it? So enjoy that shower because I flirted very hard for it.”

Rey was glad she wouldn’t have to resort to such methods. She could simply tell people what to do, and they obeyed. Duri understood how the Force worked but she was not gifted with it.

“So, how’s the upgrade? Need any more adjustments?”

Rey glanced down at her leg. “No, I don’t think so. Well, perhaps the springs could be tightened and I’d like my metal work to be the same colour...” Her leg was blue and chipped, her arm was red.

Duri raised her hands in protest. “I’ll pay for the paints but you can do the work yourself. Have you seen the state of the kitchen? I should not be allowed near paint.”

“Fair point. I’ll go into town after I take that shower.”

“Shout if you need help.”

Rey did not want to but she nodded and slipped inside the house. Her leg was much lighter than what the Resistance had given her, but it had come at a cost.  Duri believed that the anchors in her remaining flesh should be sat at her hip bone rather than mid-way down her thigh. It meant removing more of herself. 

Rey was not ungrateful. The droids had done a spectacular job and her hip moved smoothly. She was happy the procedure had worked and that she’d been able to convince the doctors to give her a few days in a  bacta tank after the operation. It was worth it for the results. She needed all her strength and as many advantages over  Kylo as she could. One day, she’d make him pay.

The lukewarm water was a gift out here in the desert and even though  Duri had the local moisture farmers wrapped around her fingers, Rey did not waste it frivolously. She was in and out quickly, even if the water had started to ease the aches in her body. Rey knew she was pushing her limits. Every day for hours, she practiced her physical combat and then sat for ages meditating. 

She dried her prosthetics with extra care, fearing the potential of rust, and dressed without ever looking in the mirror at her mangled reflection. Rey had never considered herself to be pretty or beautiful. Those were not interesting qualities to her but she certainly did not see any appeal in herself now. 

Rey found comfort in the fact that she was not the only strange person on Tatooine. There were plenty of outcasts and exiled folks who’d chosen the desert planet as their hideout. 

Her speeder had been a pile of scrap in  Duri’s yard for years but Rey got it working again with spare parts from the local scavengers and traders in Mos Eisley. If she could do all that, she could find some paint suitable for her metal limbs in the main market. Rey took the speeder and a handful of credits from Duri and set off in the direction of the spaceport. It was easier than taking the E-Wing with its clunky mechanics and awkward height. She’d already had her workout; she didn’t need another climbing into her star fighter.

Mos Eisley was not a friendly place. It was full of scum and thieves, and Rey was glad she knew how to handle herself and avoid the pocket-pinchers in the market. It wouldn’t do her much good if she lost all her credits.

She wandered around the marketplace, inhaling all the freshly-cooked food and staring at all the strange wares folks had for  Halik e. Her eyes went to a colourful stall, draped with cloth, and she lingered on a long, white scarf. It swayed gently from where it was pinned to a pole so it wouldn’t drift away. It would be useful against the sand storms but it was bright and if it caught her attention, it would catch others. Rey already stood out with her mismatched limbs. She didn’t need something else that could identify her to the Order, or Maker forbid- the Resistance. Rey was done with them. Her thoughts were bitter and angry, and she meant them on the surface. What she truly felt inside was too complicate for her to waste time deciphering.

Rey had a far more important task. 

The repair shop she got most of her parts from was owned by an old man, whose hunched back and slow movements were deceptive. Despite the thick-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, he could see just fine without them. Rey knew that from experience when she’d tried to nick a repulsorlift, only to walk right into the owner. She remembered it, he didn’t.

The rod welded to the top of the door struck a tiny bell as it slid past, and the comforting smell of engine oil and burnt metal smacked her like a wall. 

“Back so soon? I warned you that stabiliser was temperamental,” the owner called out from behind his work desk. 

Rey smiled at him and shook her head. “No, I got it working again. I need paint. Something that won’t flake or rust.” She raised her arm in the air and he nodded sagely.

“Back wall, should be some cans.”

“Thanks.”

Rey was not expecting an array of colours but she had three choices: white, red, or green. The red was brighter than what she currently had on her arm. White would catch the light too much, and the green reminded her of the floor of  Seyk’s cantina. Red it was, then.

“How much?”

“Twenty.”

“Ha! Great joke,” she deadpanned. “Seriously.”

He grinned at her. “Three credits.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “You’re over-charging, you know that?”

“Three, take it or leave it.” Rey slapped the credits down on the counter with a sigh. “Pleasure doing business, kid.”

“Uh huh.”

She wandered back to her speeder and placed the can in the net she’d attached to the side. It worked great for carrying scrap back to  Duri’s place. As she got ready to climb back on, she heard a familiar engine rumble and her eyes flew towards the outskirts of Mos Eisley. She knew that sound.

“I do not like this place one bit,” Han complained as he stepped foot in the cantina. Luke seemed to be of the same opinion, eyeing the clientele with distrust. “Let’s just ask and get out of here. Anyone could be a friend of the Hutts.”

Luke hurried towards the bar, knocking past one of the patrons who gave him a dirty look. He could not care less if they disliked him. The bartender finished refilling a glass and came to Luke.

“Have you seen a girl with brown hair? This high-” Luke gestured with one hand at eye level. “She’s got a metal arm and leg, real kind and sweet.”

The bartender pointed a tentacle behind Luke. “Is that her?”

Luke smiled tightly and turned. His smile dropped instantly when he saw Rey marching towards him fiercely without any plans on stopping.

“Rey! Hey!”

“You followed me?!” She stormed past other patrons. “I told you I want nothing to do with you anymore!”

Luke quickly lifted his hands up in  defence. “Rey, let’s talk about this.”

“Absolutely not.” She reached for her  saber hilt and Han jumped in the way, throwing one arm out to hold her back. “Let go of me!”

“Calm down, we just want to talk. Maybe not here, where everyone can see us.” Han grabbed her flesh arm and tugged gently. “Come on, kid, there’s no need for this to get ugly. We came in peace.”

“I don’t believe that.”

Han started heading towards the exit, yanking her backwards until she moved her feet and followed him out. Her glare did not warm over when Luke joined them, though he kept a safe distance even outside. It was Chewie who ended up calming her a little. 

He was guarding the Falcon from any curious passersby and his happy growl convinced Rey to give him a hug. She threw herself in his big arms and smiled. He put her down with a happy grumble and gently took her metal arm in his hand.

“It’s new. Well, it’s scrap but it works better than my last one. My leg is different too.” Chewie thought they looked far nicer. “And more practical too,” she added. “How did you find me?” 

Chewie growled softly and pointed back at Han was standing awkwardly with Luke cowering behind him. Rey’s smile dropped.

“I don’t care what he has to say. I don’t care if he spent a week trying to find me. I don’t want him here.”

Han came closer and gestured for her to climb onboard.

“What, so you can take off and bring me back to the Resistance? I don’t think so. Whatever you came here to say must be so very important- so just go ahead and tell me already. I haven’t got all day.”

“There’s a few things you need to know, Rey,” Luke said softly. “We didn’t come all the way out here just to make you miserable.”

Rey’s brows were full of sarcastic doubt. 

“And it’s for the best we don’t talk about it in public,” Han added with a cautious gaze around the busy street. “Rey, this is serious.”

Her shoulders slumped as she sighed in defeat. “Five minutes. And none of you go near the cockpit.”

They could agree to that. 

A blaster bolt struck the side of the Falcon. Rey and Luke spun with their  sabers out, while Chewie pulled his  bowcaster from his shoulder. 

“Solo!”

Han paled. “Yep, time to go!”

Rey glanced back. “What did you do?”

“Better question is what didn’t I do!” 

Another bolt was shot but Rey deflected it with ease. She’d missed using her  saber , but her joy was short-lived when more people took notice of the smuggler. Too many blasters were pulled free. It was entirely possible the whole of Mos Eisley had a grudge against Han.

“You just had to come out here and bother me, didn’t you?” Rey complained as she blocked another shot and angled it so it struck the shooter in the head. Luke glanced at her with wide eyes. “Are we taking them on or what?”

Han shifted on his feet, judging whether to shoot or to run onto his ship. He pulled out his blaster and fired back. 

“At last,” she said, moving forward into the crowd so her deflected hits could land on more targets. 

While Luke tried to aim for their weapons, Rey was not as thoughtful or kind. She was angry, and her emotions were clouding her judgement. As she got closer, she kicked at the nearest troublemaker and spun and vaulted like a lethal dancer through the enemies. She arched her back elegantly to dodge a blade and used the momentum to land on her hands, kicking the weapon out of their grasp. Rey moved fluidly even with her metal replacements, as if she’d never lost parts of her to begin with.

Han and Chewie ran out of targets to shoot at, and Luke stared with increasing worry as his apprentice fought. The last of Han’s angered acquaintances slumped to the ground and Rey stood in the middle, panting as her heart raced. She’d always wanted to take on a group before and now she had, and she was proud of herself. Some were dead, others would walk away with broken bones- but Rey had won and it felt good.

She turned back to the Falcon and gave Han an unimpressed shake of her head. 

“I know a place you can land that will be less... populated by your old friends,” she said, clipping her  saber hilt to her belt. “Head west, you’ll see my speeder. Just follow me.”

* * *

Duri was not going to be happy about guests. There was a reason the retired bounty-hunter had chosen a secluded spot and erected a wall around her property. She was not going to roll out the welcome mat or fetch her best dishware. 

Rey waved at her to set the sniper rifle down. As the Falcon landed a short distance away from the gate, Rey quickly climbed off her speeder and looked up at the window.

“It’s okay, don’t shoot them!”

The barrel disappeared but Rey was not certain  Duri would behave herself. Rey went to set her paint can on the porch and jogged back to the gate, opening it as Han came up. Rey pushed a hand against his chest.

“Fair warning, she’s a bit... paranoid.”

“She?”

“My guardian.”

Han’s brows met his hairline. “You have a guardian?”

“Her name’s  Duri and she’s kind of like you but worse, so just be nice and don’t talk too much.” Rey couldn’t prepare him more than that. She stepped aside to let him in.

Chewie eyed the house nervously and Rey feared  Duri’s rifle was poking out of the window again. It wouldn’t surprise her. What did shock the girl was the look on Luke’s face: apprehensive and worried. 

“How long have you been staying here, Rey?” He asked, pulling his hood away from his face.

“Since I landed. I remembered where it was.”

His concern only grew and Rey couldn’t understand why. She led them all into the house, right to the kitchen where she gestured for them to sit. Han pulled a face at the décor.

The walls were supposed to be painted yellow. Half of the kitchen was coloured but then  Duri had gotten bored and given up. The rest was an off-white. Some of the paint had flicked onto the cupboards and appliances and no attempt had been made to fix the mess.

Luke took a seat at the wooden table and glanced up to Rey, who stood in the corner of the room. Chewie sat as well, ignorant of the growing tension. The chair creaked under his weight. Luke was ready to begin when  Duri came down the stairs, took one look at him and bared her teeth. Her guardian made a beeline for him, much to Rey’s confusion, and marched right up to him fearlessly. Even Han took a nervous step aside when he realised he was not the intended target. She stopped in front of Luke, glowering.

“You made me a promise, Skywalker,” she hissed, jabbing a finger to his chest. “No harm would come to her. I say you’ve messed that one up pretty badly. You’ve got guts coming back here.”

Luke stood from his chair towards her and raised his hands in defence. “I know, Duri. I have a lot to make up for and I intend to make amends, but I came here to make sure she was safe.”

“She is safe. With me. Now, you’ve got ten seconds to get out of my house before I smear Jedi blood over these walls. Ten! Nine!”

“Duri, stop,” Rey insisted but her guardian was ignoring her. 

Duri shoved a finger at Luke. “I want nothing to do with you or your stupid Order. I want you to leave. You promised you would keep her safe and you lied.”

“I did what I could, Duri. What happened to Rey was not my doing.”

“Wasn’t it? She told me all about that boy you tried to kill, how all of this is your fault.” 

Luke glanced to Rey and she could not handle the hurt and confusion in his eyes. Duri turned to Han, who’d glued himself to the wall to avoid the woman’s wrath.

“You’re Leia’s husband?”

“Y-yes.”

“So that  boy who hurt my daughter is your Sith-spawn? I ought to make sure you never make another child again but look at you- I think you’ve already learned that lesson-”

“ Duri ! That’s enough!” Rey yelled. “Han is my adopted father, don’t speak to him like that.”

Duri scoffed and darted his glare between the two men. “No wonder she ran from the both of you.” She settled on Luke. “I should have never trusted you, Skywalker.”

“Snoke would have killed you too,  Duri . We took care of her, made sure she learned everything she could from us.”

“Look at her. You sure took real good care. You Jedi have always been a plague, keeping secrets as if you’re above others.”

“We thought we could keep Snoke away. We were wrong. Rey knows how sorry I am!”

Duri crossed her arms. “Too little too late. Have you even told her what she is?”

Rey shuffled closer. “I’m a Kenobi.”

“And your parents? Has Luke told you, or does he still expect me to stay silent?” When Rey did not answer and Luke could not hold her gaze,  Duri unfolded her arms. “I’m your mother. Not adopted, not surrogate. Your mother. And you want to know what happened to your dad?”

The blood in Rey’s veins had turned to ice. She was unable to speak as she froze on the spot. 

“He died because Snoke wanted you, and Skywalker had me keep my mouth shut about him and about you.” With a sarcastic flourish, she continued, “My  _ lover _ never even existed, apparently. Then Skywalker took you from me. Didn’t let me keep you more than a few years and never allowed me to find you. He’s got a real heart, this one. Really thinks about what he does to others.”

“Snoke would have come for you and Rey,” Luke repeated. “You would have died.” 

“You don’t know that” I would have fought until my last breath to save her. Still, perhaps she would have been safer with him than with you. After all, that Organa boy is still in one piece.”

“My son was manipulated and tortured. He is far from intact,” Han cut through viciously, “and you wish that for your kid?”

“We both put our trust in Skywalker and look where it landed us. Our children are broken and hurt, and Skywalker still breathes. I think that’s an injustice.”

The door to the backyard slid open and shut noisily, distracting  Duri as Rey stormed out. She stared at her daughter through the window for a moment before glaring down at Luke. 

“You say you have a lot to make up for. You can start by staying the hell away from my little girl. Whatever you came here to do, doesn’t matter anymore. We don’t want anything from the Jedi or the Resistance. Now, get out. Last warning or I  _ will _ shoot you.”

Luke bowed his head and tucked the chair under the table without a word, and left through the front door.  Duri turned to Han.

“Your boy has to pay for what he did.”

Han swallowed painfully. “I know. He will. Come on, Chewie, let’s go.”

The Wookie growled softly and stood up, glaring at  Duri on the way out. By the time he made it onto the porch, Han had already walked through the gate towards the Falcon. He spotted Luke standing beside Rey, and decided to go comfort his best friend.

The sound of muffled crying came from Rey’s hunched figure. She’d tucked herself in a small corner of the scrap yard, hidden from view of the windows but sheltered by the shade. Luke’s boots disturbed the fine grains of sand.

“Can I join you? I believe you deserve a clearer understanding.  Duri over-simplified a lot. She’s angry and I don’t blame her, but I’d rather tell you the whole truth.”

Rey said nothing but she shifted to the side so Luke could sit next to her. With her face buried in her arms, she sniffed and listened. 

“Your father was a Jedi, like his father, Obi-Wan. Jinn was only a bit older than me but I knew him and his father well. Snoke took interest in any Jedi who seemed powerful and your father became a target. He tried to live a normal life and he ended up having you.”

“I thought the Jedi weren’t allowed to be in relationships.”

Luke smiled dryly. “What he and Duri had was less romantic than you might think, at least on her part. Your father wanted to keep you. Anyways, Snoke kept an eye on your parents and he sent someone to take you away. Jinn protected you by sending you to Duri while he ran to distract Snoke.”

“He didn’t make it.”

“I don’t think so. I searched everywhere for him and I never found a trace. Jinn begged Duri to hand you to me, to the Jedi Order, and I tried to convince her you were safer with me. When I eventually managed, years later, I raised you on Dantooine.”

Rey raised her head and wiped her eyes. “You did all this so Snoke wouldn’t find me?”

“As far as he was concerned, to our knowledge, you were just a scavenger girl born to a bounty hunter. There was nothing special about your past. You weren’t the first child we took in. We were wrong, I know that now. Snoke knew all along. He used Ben to get to you.”

Luke’s hand reached out to cup Rey’s shoulder gently. 

“I never kept this to hurt you. I wanted to protect you.”

“I know,” she replied with barely a whisper. “But no one would have ever told me, not even Duri. She only said it because she’s angry at you. I don’t know what I’m going to do now.”

“Rey... This was your home and you have a mother who loves you. If you want to stay here, nothing can stop you.” 

Rey glanced towards the house. The suns were beginning to set and the two Jedi sat and watched in peace as the light dimmed. 

“Do you ever miss your home?” Rey asked after the suns had disappeared behind the wall. 

“Yes and no. I had a very simple life at nineteen, and I loved my family, but the Empire took that from me. I can still remember my uncle’s home like it was yesterday.”

“If you could go back to that time, would you still have left with my grandfather?”

Luke smiled softly and looked down at Rey. “Without a doubt.” He paused. “Rey, where did you get the idea that I harmed Ben?”

Rey observed him for a moment before she spoke. “ Kylo showed me his memories through the Force. You hunted him down when the temple went up in flames. It was hard to watch.”

His smile faded and a frown took its place. “I believe I know what you’re referring to but it wasn’t me. Not... the real me. After the fire, we combed through the forest and temple grounds for any clue as to where Ben might’ve gone, and who was responsible. It wasn’t an accident but I’m sure you know that.”

“It was Snoke,” Rey completed.

“Yes, and he was determined to destroy everything. Not just the temple but our connections, our lives. I found a mangled droid in the forest, close to where a ship had parked. Do you remember the hologram training droids that we used for the older padawans?”

Rey nodded as she quickly put the pieces together. “They could imitate people. It used to scare me. Snoke used that to trick Kylo.”

Luke gently took her metal hand in his own, their fingers clanking together. “Rey, despite all my faults and mistakes, you know I would never have turned on him. He was just a lost boy. It’s... different now.”

“I shouldn’t have doubted you.”

“It’s alright. Snoke tricked all of us. You’re not to blame, and neither is Ben.”

Rey was silent for a while, contemplating her master’s words. Eventually, she glanced up and asked, “So, what did you and Han come here to tell me?”

An hour later, Rey was sat alone at the  Dejarik table on the Falcon with her hands buried in her hair. She stared at the names until she could memorise the first fifty but each time she reached Ben, she tore her eyes away. Luke had told her about his rise to power, about the control of the First Order over the galaxy, and about these Force users who’d drawn attention to themselves.

The Falcon was still parked outside the walls. A sandstorm had started up and she could hear the grit flying against the hull. None of them had made a move to take off so she felt safe letting them out of her sight. She could sense Luke in the cockpit with Chewie, and Han coming closer to her.

Wiping stray tears, Rey made herself presentable for her adopted father. She saw how exhausted and ill he looked, and Rey did not want to burden him more. When Han came down the corridor, he wasn’t shocked to see he was expected.

“Would you accept some company?” He asked softly, taking in her puffy red eyes and shaking fingers with a concerned frown. 

“Alright...”

Han groaned when he sat down on the bench. His hands rubbed at his knees briefly and he flashed her a tired smile. “You won’t like getting old.”

“Why  _ did _ you come here with Luke?”

“Straight to the point, huh? It was his idea, he wanted to check on you. Make sure you hadn’t gotten yourself into trouble.”

“You sure it wasn’t to bring me home?”

Han shrugged. “I have no idea what goes on in his head. I’m not a mind-reader like you two. But would you consider coming home?”

“I don’t know. I came here to learn about my past. I suppose I have now, though I didn’t think it would happen like this. I’m sorry about Duri- she said some horrible things.”

“I would act the same in her place, but she doesn’t know the extent of Snoke’s manipulation. I’m not... excusing Ben. He has to be punished for what he did but he’s my son. I don’t want to see him in pain.”

Rey did not voice what she would do if she ever crossed paths with the Sith. Han did not deserve to hear her vile thoughts. He was a tired man who’d lived through too much suffering already. If Rey could spare him from any more, she would.

“I think... I’d like to go home. I’m still angry at you and Luke and Leia, and I feel I will be for some time- but I miss you all.”

“We missed you too.” Han swung an arm around her shoulders and drew her in to kiss the top of her head.

“I’m going to go say goodbye to  Duri . She’s been nothing but kind to me. I don’t think I would have made it far without her.”

“Alright, kid.” Rey untangled herself from his arm and scooted off the bench. “You know, that  leg looks pretty cool.” 

Rey smiled. “Thank you.”

“We’ll get through this, you know.” He gestured at the roster. “And this.”

“I know.”

* * *

Duri was sitting on the porch when Rey walked through the gate. The storm had eased a little and the wall helped to keep most of the grit away.

“You’re leaving,”  Duri said, taking the words right out of Rey’s mouth. “I can’t say I understand. You’re going right back to the people who lied to you.”

Rey sat down on the step and angled herself up towards her mother. “I won’t accomplish anything here. If I stay,  Kylo will continue to cause problems. Luke can’t take him on by himself. I need to help.”

“You need to kill this boy, Rey. He betrayed you, ruined your body. He needs to die a slow and painful death.  Kriff , when you make him pay, draw it out. Enjoy it. Trust me, there’s nothing sweeter than revenge.” 

Rey felt her stomach turn. The anger in  Duri’s eyes was sickening and her words even more so. Rey wanted to make  Kylo pay, but hearing someone else say it- she couldn’t help but remember he’d been her best friend. Duri’s thoughts brought out some sort of defence in Rey that she couldn’t begin to understand. So she changed the conversation.

“Thank you, for all you’ve done for me. And not just these past few months. Since I was little.”

Duri’s gaze softened. “You’re my little star. I’d do anything for you.”

“I know. Is there anything I can do for you?”

Duri shook her head. “I’m quite settled here, I’ve got things that will keep my head above water, so to speak.” She chuckled dryly. “But I will miss you and the one thing you can do, is keep yourself safe. None of this-” She gestured towards the Falcon. “-is worth your life. The best thing you can do is to look out for yourself above anything else. The Jedi, the  Sith , all this  kriffing mess; none of it is more important than your life.”

“I’ll try, Duri... Mom. Is that okay?”

“Call me whatever you like, little star. I’ll be right here if you need me, if you want to run away from those idiot martyrs again. You’ll always have a home here.”

Rey scrambled to her feet and embraced her mother, burying her face in  Duri’s collar. She could not have asked for a better parent to rely on, though perhaps Luke was a close second. 

“I’m going to head inside and pack.”

“Your  stuff’s already packed. It’s by the door.” Rey blinked owlishly. “I know you, kid. You’ve got that  same determined look in your eyes that your father had. I’m grateful you got most of his good parts over mine.”

Rey fetched her bag. Her clothes were all neatly folded and among them was a long, grey scarf. It belonged to  Duri . She used it when the storms were exceptionally bad. The cloth was wrapped around something and Rey couldn’t help but curiously unwrap it. Before she’d even removed the scarf, the solid shape beneath gave it away. She glanced up at Duri.

“It belonged to Jinn. He decided it was better off staying with me. I never needed it, but I think you’d get some use out of it.” 

“Thank you.”

Duri shrugged. “I never wanted anything to do with the Jedi but Jinn was different, he wasn’t so stuck up. He didn’t deserve any of this. I didn’t get to know him as much as I would have liked, but he was a good man.”

“I’m sure he was.” Rey set the cloth-wrapped  saber back into her bag and stood. “I promise I’ll take good care of it. Thank you again, for everything.”

She leaned down for another embrace and lingered there for a moment. When she straightened, she started making her towards the gate. 

“Hold up, don’t forget this!” Duri held up the can of paint. Rey reached out and grabbed it with the Force. “Show-off!”

Rey laughed and waved goodbye as she closed the gate behind her. She felt a warm presence at her side as she walked up to the Falcon. She was making the right choice.


	11. Chapter 11

** Chapter 11 **

Finding a quiet place on Coruscant was a rarity. Finn was not sure he was allowed to leave the building and as much as he wanted to go outside and bask in the sunlight and fresh air, his recent missteps made him reconsider his daring decision. He didn’t want to anger Lord Ren any further and judging from the state he was in, still sleeping on the couch behind him, Finn was certain it would be very easy to annoy the Supreme Leader further. 

Finn stared out of the wall-length window. The cityscape was stunning in the morning light. The glass glistened and reflected the sun’s rays, and there was a tranquillity that would soon disappear behind the heavy air traffic. He would’ve loved it if there had been a balcony. 

Finn sensed he was being watched and he turned his head towards Hux, just as he came out of his personal quarters dressed for the day in his greatcoat. Despite the quantity of alcohol that had flowed the night before, Hux seemed entirely unfazed. Not one red hair was out of place and his eyes were bright and alert, just like Finn; though he had not touched more than one glass. 

“Enjoying the view?”

Finn nodded and turned back to the window. “I always wanted to see Coruscant.”

“Those history lessons didn't do it justice, did it?” Hux crossed his hands behind his back as he joined him. With the barest hint of a smile, he added, “I must admit, I stood right here for hours when we conquered Coruscant; just staring out there, picking out all the famous places I’d learned about at the Academy. Like you, I never thought I’d actually get to be here someday.”

“I thought you might have been born here.”

“Oh, no. Arkanis.”

Finn vaguely knew it. “Is it as bad as they say over there? The rain and such?”

“I never want to see another rain cloud again.” Finn couldn’t help but smile. “I would not dare ask you to join me with the bank representatives, but perhaps you’d like to go outside? I can feel your energy, you’re bound to explode if you stay inside all day.”

“Is this your way of convincing me further, sir?” Finn was not a stupid man. He saw right through Hux’s pleasantries but at least, the General was not feigning ignorance.

“Perhaps. Is it working?”

“I need time to think.”

“What’s there to think about?”

Finn nodded back towards Lord Ren, who, to the world, resembled a corpse more than a living person. He wasn’t even twitching in his sleep. Hux understood.

“Your loyalty is admirable.”

“He’s been good to me. Even after what I’ve done. I... would like to stay here but  Talok is my home now, and the Knights are my family.”

“Family is a bold term,” Hux commented with a frown. 

Finn shrugged, as if he wasn’t aware of how insane he sounded. He’d only been with them for half a year, maybe less. He didn’t like to count the days. 

“Vicrul said I’m one of them and that makes me family. I have to fight for them, protect them with my life. I killed to protect Kylo on Naboo, and he protected me from Ushar. That’s what family is, right, sir?”

“I can’t say.”

Finn wanted to ask about the General’s family but a look in the man’s eyes warned him to stay far away from that topic. 

“You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?” Hux asked after a moment of watching the sun rise over the city. It was getting busier outside now, with more ships darting across the horizon. 

Finn swallowed and glanced at Hux nervously, expecting resentment. He was shocked to see the General looked disappointed. “I... owe Kylo too much, and he’s not so bad. I used to be afraid of him but he, he’s only human and he listens to reason.”

“You must teach me your secrets someday, Finn.”

The ex-trooper's eyes widened. Hux had not referred to him by his chosen name yet. It was a sign of respect.

“I just appeal to his better nature, I guess. He’s... complicated but I know he cares deep down. Otherwise, those kids would already be in training or worse.”

“Speaking of those children, perhaps it should be you and I who work on this project together. You’re certainly passionate enough and from what Ren has told me, you’ve learned a lot in a short time. I would not be opposed to your input.” Hux tilted his head to the side when Finn did not reply immediately. “That’s not to say you would have to stay here but we would work closer. Anyways, I plan to kick Ren into involving himself more with the Order. He’s had a nice holiday on  Talok but he  _ is _ the Supreme Leader. Even Snoke was more hands-on than Ren. That does mean more visits to his temple but that way, I could keep you updated as well.”

“You really mean that?” 

“Of course. We’re allies, aren’t we?”

Finn nodded slowly. “Yeah, I guess we are. I never thought about it that way. All of this still seems like it’s out of my reach. I worked sanitation, for  kriff’s sake. Now, I’m in Coruscant. It’s been an intense year. I guess I haven’t really sat down and thought about it all.” He glanced up at Hux’s amused face. “Sorry, sir, I’m babbling to myself.”

“I was  wrong .”

“Sir?”

Hux placed a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “You’re nothing like Ren.”

It was meant to be a compliment but Finn could only pick out the differences between himself and  Kylo . The  Sith was so much stronger, both physically and mentally. He was an imposing force no one dared stand against and Finn... was nothing compared to him. A clear divide stood between them and Finn feared he’d never cross over. How could he prove it to Kylo that he could be just as strong?

Kylo started to stir behind them on the couch. Hux sighed softly and took his hand back.

“Go wait outside for me. I’ll show you where you can get some fresh air,” he told him, already moving to deal with Kylo.

Finn bowed his head and retreated out of the office, where the red troopers were obediently guarding the doors.

The world was pain. Everything hurt. The sunlight coming through the shutters was impaling. The beeping of the cleaning droid was deafening.  Kylo was certain he was in hell. The subtle shift of fabric was too loud.

“Get up, grab a shower,” Hux instructed from above, the heels of his boots clacking against the wooden floor. 

Of course, he had a meeting with the banks,  Kylo remembered as he cracked one eye open. It was completely dark. Turning his head more, he could finally see without the pillow blocking his functional eye, and he stared up at the neat black uniform. Hux looked far too pleased with himself. 

“You can stay here and recover until noon, but after that, I need my office back. I have to deal with the  _ Armistice _ .”

“Pryde’s not back?”  Kriff , even  Kylo’s own voice was painful. It rang in his ears.

“No, his body was found by the transport. I suspect locals were involved, and the troopers fled. No matter, if we catch them, they will be sent to recon-”

“ D’you have to talk so much? I feel dead here.”

Hux scoffed. “Two bottles  do not equal death.”

“Does to me.”

“Good to know if I ever need you down for the count, I need only supply you with Corellian wine. I ought to document this for later use but I’m already running late. Remember, out by noon.”

Kylo weakly lifted his arm. 

“I’ll take that as your promise.” 

The General’s footsteps retreated towards the door and  Kylo sighed when they slid shut behind him. Where was Finn, anyways?  Kylo forced himself to sit up on the couch and blearily looked around the office. All traces of their evening were cleared away so he couldn’t know if he had only  drunk two bottles. There were many things he’d inherited from Solo but a natural resistance to alcohol was not one of them. 

Regardless of his inability to hold liquor, the wine had done a good job at easing his mind. Despite the drilling headache behind his eyes,  Kylo felt clearer. He knew how he’d tear away at Finn’s weaknesses until his apprentice was perfect. He just had to find him first.

Kylo stood too quickly and that was a big mistake. The floor lurched beneath his feet and his hand reached out to steady himself against the armrest of the couch. He startled the large-headed feline nearby.

Slow. 

He had to take it slow. 

Kylo could find his way to the refresher, he’d survived far worse tasks set by Snoke than stumbling half-blind towards the personal section of the chancellor’s old office. When he finally left the steamy warmth of the shower,  Kylo felt better but not by much. He wandered back out into the half-remodelled bedroom and stared at the empty spot where the bed should be but had yet to be purchased. The only part of the room being used was the closet, filled with identical pressed uniforms.

Only once  Kylo had eaten and taken something for the pain, did he go on a hunt for his apprentice. He could feel  Finn’s presence lingering close so he did not fear losing him. 

* * *

In spite of all the air traffic and noise of the district, and the looming shadow of the  _ Armistice _ above, Finn managed to block it all out and sat down in a fancy garden. It was normally used for formal functions and outdoor parties between politicians and representatives, but it was deserted.

He couldn’t tell how long he’d been sat on the closely-cropped grass, minding his breathing and listening to the Force around him. He felt it in the rare birds chirping in the trees, in the colourful fish swimming around the central, rectangular pond, and in himself. It felt different from the connections on  Talok \- livelier and brighter, so much more energetic and spry.  Talok was ancient, the Force came from the planet itself, but on Coruscant, there were millions of sentient lives connected to each other.

Finn couldn’t reach out to them all. That was impossible. His goal was to be less focused on singular people and rather on an entire system. He remembered being afraid of the Force but Finn embraced it now, and his connection strengthened through his courage to reach out. 

What he was afraid of came like a black wave on his sunny spot. The calmness he felt was slowly encroached by the aggressive presence of the Dark Side. As if he’d been sitting on the beach and the waves had suddenly rolled up the shores to his position; not unpleasant but startling. He used to be afraid of that too, but now Finn embraced the change even if it drew him out of his meditative state. 

Finn blinked and glanced up as Lord Ren caught sight of him. Finn had found a quiet spot away from the pond and the stone walkway, tucked right between a marble statue and an arching blossom tree. He could’ve sat there for the whole day, but  Kylo had a strange energy that remained even when he emerged into the sunlight and squinted in discomfort.

Kylo said nothing as he sat down under the shade of the blossom tree, his shoulder pressed to Finn’s. He stared out across the garden with half-shut eyes and his curling hair still damp, ignoring the agitation in his apprentice. His hand retreated from his side.

“Your  lightsaber ,”  Kylo demanded.

Finn unclipped it from his belt and nervously placed it in  Kylo’s awaiting palm. The  Sith activated the blade away from them, observing the blue blade. He turned it off and began taking the hilt apart in the air, until he found the crystal inside. When the hilt had been reassembled,  Kylo gave Finn the crystal back.

“You still have a Jedi’s lightsaber. Take this, keep it on you. You’ll get the rest back when I say.”

“Master, I-”

A frightening pressure on Finn’s throat shut him up instantly. It wasn’t painful or restricting oxygen, but Finn felt his blood turn to ice. 

“I have been too lenient with you, too patient. That ends now. I want a  Sith by my side, not a Jedi and certainly not a pacifist. I have a test for you. Either you pass or you die. I may not have enjoyed my master’s teaching methods but I am proof they are effective. The shuttle is ready to take us down into the sub-levels.”

Kylo stood and attached Finn’s hilt beside his own  saber . Finn scrambled to his feet after him, the pressure relinquishing slowly. 

The way back to the shuttle was through a series of narrow back alleys and questionable people who looked at Finn like he was fresh meat. He was scared, but he didn’t dare show it. He had the Force, he could fight without his  saber just fine.

They reached wherever  Kylo had taken them; an unmarked building that was filled with yells and cheers the further inside they walked. The hallways came to an end and Finn stared down at the fighting pit in the middle of a blood-thirsty crowd. Observing the fight from a throne was a member of the Hutt clan, lazily puffing from a pipe and exhaling white smoke from its thick neck and enormous mouth. Finn couldn’t see down into the pit but he heard a guttural scream right before the crowd went wild.

There was no doubt in his mind what the test was. 

Kylo led him to a back room, where other unfortunate souls would have to fight soon. Some were eagerly showing off their moves, others curled up on the benches in fear. Finn was taken to one corner.

“Keep that crystal safe, let it absorb the Force in you.” 

Finn patted the zipped pocket of his trousers safely. He glanced up at  Kylo but there was no reasoning, no demands or begging could change the  Sith’s mind now. And Finn had been looking for a way to prove himself. This was it.

“You won’t be allowed weapons in there,”  Kylo continued behind his mask as he began to strip Finn of his knives. Gifts from  Kuruk . “And no Force.”

“Why not?”

“Because you were a stormtrooper and you should know how to fight for yourself.”

Finn swallowed. He’d never learned more than the basic combat training. He eyed some of the fighters warily.

“Either you survive or you die. I won’t save you.”

“What? No... You...”

Kylo crowded Finn further into the corner, looming down over him. “I killed a Knight of Ren for you. My loyal brother in arms. You fight or you die. You’re on your own in there, Finn. I’ll be watching from the crowd.”

“ Kylo , you can’t-” Finn trailed off. There was no mercy in the  Sith’s voice. 

Kylo walked away, leaving Finn to be prepped for the fight. He was given a number and told to wait until it was called out.

Finn sat on a bench, listening to the numbers over the intercom and watching contestants get up. When a big, confident guy went out and never returned, Finn was certain he’d die here.

“Eighty-seven!” 

Finn didn’t need to look at the band on his wrist telling him it was his turn. He got up and headed towards the pit. The crowd began booing the second he stepped onto the bloody ground. The door behind him locked. Blood soaked the concrete floor but a droid had gathered what was left of the contestants after each fight. 

Finn glanced up at the railing above the circular pit and found  Kylo , his face hidden behind that black mask. He wanted to see  Kylo’s eyes so he could know if he was doing well or not. 

The loud cheering of the crowd caused Finn to turn to his opponent. Oh, he was big and mean-looking. Finn was sure he was part-human, part-Wookie. Whatever mash of genetics made him, he was  _ something _ that could tear Finn limb from limb.

A buzzer went off and the big guy did not waste time. He charged straight towards Finn with his arms out. Finn rolled to the side, dodging just by an inch, and scrambled upright. How was he supposed to fight  _ that _ ? The ex-trooper did not get to ponder what to hit first because a fist flew in his direction. 

Finn was dodging too much and the crowd hated it. They wanted blood. Finn very much wanted to keep all his teeth in place. He couldn’t win hand-to-hand. If he tried to punch this guy, Finn’s hand would break like glass. He had to fight smart. His enemy was big and heavy and slow, so Finn just had to be quick.

He thought he was being smart by going for the legs. He thought a lot of things, right until his arm was grabbed and he was quite literally picked up and thrown into the concrete wall. The pain ran up his spine and it blocked out the annoying cheers of the crowd. Finn was picked up again and thrown across the pit, his body sliding against the wet blood until he hit the wall. The aches from  Ushar’s treatment were waking up, sharp and deep in his bones.

His opponent was coming over to finish things and Finn’s vision wasn’t clearing up quickly enough. The walls around him were swaying. There was nowhere to run and hide. This was it. 

The front of his shirt was grabbed and Finn felt himself being lifted from the ground. In a desperate attempt, Finn threw his hands out to choke the unstoppable fighter. He wrapped his fingers around his neck and squeezed, but it was all muscle. His hands barely covered the throat. Finn knew he would die here.  Kylo was willing to let him die here.

Finn was never going to win this, he was never going to be stronger than  Kylo like this.

Screw the rules. 

He channelled the Force through his hands and crushed the man’s windpipe before his own neck was snapped. He watched the fear drain in the man’s eyes before he fell back, taking Finn down with him. He rolled off the body and scuttled to a safer distance, fearing his legs would be grabbed. But his opponent was still and unmoving, staring up at the fluorescent lights above the pit.

It was over. Finn won.

The crowd was silent. 

He glanced up at  Kylo for approval.

“Eighty-seven is the winner. Next round!”

_ What _ .

A droid came to pull the dead man away. After struggling for a minute, it called for backup and three droids managed together. Out of the door Finn had come through, the next unlucky person was ready to fight. 

It was not over. It wouldn’t be until Finn got through all the others. How many had the last guy gone through? Finn could do this. He was fighting for his life. He had to.

Finn won, again and again. He didn’t always use the Force but when the skin over his knuckles started to crack and bleed, he began to lose confidence. Six successful matches and Kylo had yet to pull him out of the pit. It felt never-ending.

Between punches with a red faced Twi’lek, a horrible realisation dawned on Finn. The fights were organised so that there was no real winner. Whoever won was made to fight until they couldn’t anymore, and the victor was thrown into that same loop- doomed to never win. The Hutts were cruel.

Finn could test his theory but what then? How long could he go on for? His arms were burning and his hands had gone numb with pain. If he flexed his knuckles, he could see the barest hint of bone. The Force was keeping him going but his body was failing. He’d lost track of the punches made to his face and abdomen. A couple ribs were probably cracked from the awful wheezing that came with each breath.

But Kylo had not sent him down here to win. He’d told Finn to survive, to pass his test. 

Finn had to break the loop. 

Escape. 

The walls of the pit were too tall to jump and clamber over. Finn glanced up to the railings and the metal began to creak and bend. He wasn’t drawing attention to it, he wasn’t even looking towards the damage. The onlookers gathered there chalked it up to flimsy quality and stepped away. Finn drew their gaze to the poor  Twi’lek he’d kicked backwards into the wall, and when they were too busy cheering, Finn turned and sprinted towards the slumped railing. He brought it further down just as he jumped, grabbing it tightly as he pulled himself out of the pit.

The crowd was furious but Finn didn’t care. He sent them falling on their  asses and ran towards the exit. It was barred by two guards with blasters aimed at him. It was now or never. He’d already signed his death warrant by escaping the pit. With both hands extended, Finn forced their heads to twist at an unnatural angle and with a snap, the guards fell. 

Finn didn’t look back. He ran towards the shuttle; sprinted until his legs burned, slowed when he couldn’t breathe anymore, and picked up the pace again until he saw the folded wings of the Upsilon shuttle parked quietly by itself. He turned, ready to fight anyone that may have followed him, but Finn found himself alone, panting wetly for air. 

Fear struck him suddenly. The crystal. He patted his leg pocket for it and pulled the little crystal out. It was intact and glistening in his palm. Finn sat down beside the shuttle, his back to one of the upright wings, and clutched the crystal tightly against his aching chest. 

Finn was beyond hurting but he let himself connect with the Force. It didn’t feel the same anymore- perhaps he was too tired- but he did what  Kylo asked, and focused on the crystal. His mind was a tempest of fear and worry and... a feeling he’d never felt before. A rush of life. Finn felt alive, he felt good. He had survived at the cost of other lives but he was here; breathing, his heart pounding against his cracked ribs, and all that pain meant something now. Surely he’d proven himself? He’d passed the test, hadn’t he? He wasn’t so sure anymore.

Finn waited for Lord Ren to come to him. After all, the shuttle was the most logical place to go and  Kylo could track his presence in the Force so easily. The ex-trooper ended up passing out.

When he woke, the first thing that reached his exhausted brain was pain. His body heavily protested movement and Finn did not recognise the bed he’d been tucked into, or the lavish room.

The wood-panel walls stretched up to a vaulted ceiling, lined with gold trim, and set with expensive artwork. The furniture was just as opulent as the rest of the room, and the window covered almost an entire wall overlooking Coruscant’s executive offices. Finn could see the garden he’d sat in much earlier that day, though the sun was already setting on the horizon and the nightlife grew active with neon. 

As Finn made himself sit up, sticky patches of  bacta stretched with his movements. His cuts and split knuckles had been carefully cleaned and mended. Pain medication had been left on the bedside table with a glass of water, and Finn took them desperately. His entire body was in pain. 

Whatever was stuffed into the mattress made him want to fall asleep but he kept his eyes open and stared at  Kylo’s back. The  Sith was cross-legged on the floor by the window, looking out onto the lively nightlife.

“You could have accepted death but you didn’t,”  Kylo stated with a quiet voice, and Finn was glad it did not contain any venom. “You fought for your life. Survived at any cost.”

He looked back over his shoulder.

“Here, you earned this back.” He held out the white and black  saber hilt. “I took your crystal to keep it safe. Come, sit with me.”

Finn hissed as he stood and made his way to Kylo. His legs burned with the effort and he needed the Force to ease himself down without straining. Once he was sat, he took back the saber and the crystal. Finn carefully placed it back inside the  saber’s cradle. 

“I asked you to focus on it while you fought and killed. I can tell you did. Your anger, your fear, your drive- you poured it all into that crystal, just like I did with mine. 

“There are things I want from you, Finn. Things that can’t be given right away. I need you to be fearless and certain in yourself. The galaxy is yours and so is everything and everyone on it. Today, you proved to me you could put aside your morals and kill to survive. I need you to keep going further than survival.

“We’re in this together. A master and his apprentice. That has always been the ways of the  Sith and it is sacred for a reason. You and I are two halves made whole. I need you to act as I would, protect what we believe in, fight anyone who opposes us. It’s the only way we’ll move forward.”

Finn tore his gaze away towards the city. “Will I ever be your equal?”

“Yes. Someday, you will be as powerful as I am. Perhaps you’ll surpass me too and find your own apprentice.”

“I don’t want to be better than you,  Kylo . I just want to be your equal.” Finn looked up to the  Sith . “I’ll do whatever it takes to make you proud, even if it means I have to kill for you. Just... be there for me. Don’t leave me behind.”

Kylo understood something in that moment. He could not rely on his dead master’s teachings any longer. He’d thought he’d done the right thing throwing Finn into combat and it had achieved the result he wanted, but he saw the cost of his demands. The pain in his apprentice’s eyes was not all physical.  Kylo could not turn his back on Finn now. Not ever.  Kylo had been left behind by people all his life, he couldn’t subject that onto his apprentice. The past had to die.

“I’ll never leave your side, Finn. I promise.” He glanced down at the  saber . “Show me.”

Finn held up the hilt and ignited the blade. A red glow washed over them, reflected in the glass. It was a calm blade, unlike  Kylo’s , and Finn was entranced by its stunning crimson light.

“You’ve earned the right to call yourself a Sith.”

Finn never thought those words would be comforting but they were. He turned it off and leaned against  Kylo’s shoulder. He’d never felt more at home than right there at the  Sith’s side, simmering with pride.

Their bond and Finn’s descent into the Dark Side was felt across the Force. Thousands of light years away from Coruscant, Luke and Rey both felt something. As the Jedi focused, they sensed the same thing: Finn had survived. 


	12. Chapter 12

** Chapter 12 **

“Absolutely not!” Luke exclaimed with a flourish of his arms, crossing them in the air and standing with more authority than he actually had. There had been a time anyone would have listened to him but Rey was far too stubborn. “You’re staying far away from him.”

Rey had been, much to the small nosy crowd’s surprise, rather calm until that particular demand was said. She understood her master’s worry but Ren was out there, breathing and killing, and he had Finn with him. The realisation made that holovid from Naboo so much more frightening; Finn was the eighth Sith and he was powerful. Rey had been ready to join Kylo’s side for the sake of killing Snoke but Finn did not have any reason to come back to the Light. Kylo was an expert manipulator and Finn was likely wrapped around his finger by now.

“I have to go help him. He came after me. I’m the reason he got caught by Ren,” she argued back, folding her arms just like Luke.

“We will find a way to get him back. I promise. But first, we have to know what we’re up against. We don’t know where they are, or what they’re up to.”

Luke had fair points. They had not been on  D’Qar longer than a day before she was ready to set off towards the stars in search of her friend. And she wasn’t the only one. Outside the command room, Poe paced trenches into the floor. Perhaps Rey should not have suddenly burst out with that knowledge to the eager pilot. She regretted it now.

“Rey, until we have a plan, stay here. I understand your feelings, I want to help him too.” Luke gestured with his metal hand around the room. “But look at us, there’s barely anything left. We can’t throw everything we have at them without a plan. It would be the end for us all.”

She exhaled through her nose and nodded reluctantly. “I know. I just... It’s my fault, master.”

Luke’s expression softened and he dared come closer to hold her by the shoulders. “No, it’s not. We all knew the risks of that mission. Finn knew too. We’ll get him back, Rey.”

Rey shrugged his hands off and walked out of the command room. She needed air. What she got instead was Poe’s face suddenly in front of her. 

“Well? Shall I prep the ships?”

“Not yet,” she said with dismay.

“Not yet? Not yet? But he’s out there-”

“I know. Talk to Luke, you two are good with extraction.”

Poe didn’t need to be told twice. He nodded his thanks and marched right into the command room with his head held high. He was too energetic and trigger-happy for Rey to deal with right now. The chance in scenery and people were already encroaching on her nerves- she was looked at strangely but not in the way people had stared on Tatooine. The rebels expected to catch her running away again but the worst was the pity in their eyes. What happened to her was a  _ shame _ , something to remind them to stay out of Jedi business and stick to what they knew. They were comparing her to the Rey they’d known before: whole and full of life. It was in their faces. Rey couldn’t stand it any longer, even Leia had that look.

The hangars had filled with more ships since she left but not enough pilots for them. They were scrap piles and donated  junkers from those who couldn’t fight but could lend a star fighter or transporter. At least fixing those would take up her time while Luke came up with a rescue plan.

She wandered to the open entry of one of the hangars and sat on a crate, just shy of a curtain of rain pouring down onto the concrete. She missed the suns of her  homeworld and the arid heat of the desert, but the rain calmed her as well. Closing her eyes, Rey tried to reach out to her warm presence and felt it come to her side.

“Why won’t you show yourself? I came home. I found my family. Isn’t that enough?”

Arms wrapped around her shoulders as she pulled her knees up. It almost felt like a real person was sat next to her. She leaned into the warmth.

“Am I not strong enough to see you?”

Rey reached into the bag at her hip, the one she used when hiding her  sabers , and pulled her father’s one out. It was made of gold- a material that could not have been from Tatooine, but it was stunning and hefty. The  saber was a good deal more stylish and refined than the ones she’d made, with a long emitter and rings of silver around the lattice-carved grip.

As she held it, a hand covered her own though she couldn’t see it. She felt the sudden urge to press the activator. The blade shot out with a satisfying  _ zing _ and hummed loudly. Maker only knew when it had last been used.  Duri had probably never touched it. 

The sound wasn’t what struck her the most; it was the blade itself. Sharp-tipped and crackling with energy, Jinn Kenobi’s  saber was golden- like the suns of Tatooine had poured themselves into the  kyber crystal. Rey had heard of such blades mentioned in the sacred Jedi texts before but never seen a real one.

“You’re beautiful,” she spoke to it, admiring the blade as she moved it in the light. “He must have been very strong with the Force to wield you.”

“That is  _ so _ cool,” a young woman interrupted. Rey yelped and jumped off the crate, turning the  saber on the woman. “Whoa, hey, I’m sorry!”

“Who are you?” Rey demanded. 

“Rose. I just... moved here.” The woman eyed the saber. “You don’t need that, come on. I wasn’t- I’m sorry I startled you.”

“You’re right.” Rey turned off the  saber . “You took me by surprise.”

“I thought Jedi were supposed to be all-knowing? Like you could see the future?”

“Some. Not me.” Rey took Rose in. “You just moved here, huh? People don’t just move to a Resistance base. Stormtrooper?”

Rose crossed her arms. “Why does everyone think that? No, I’m not some damn trooper. But... you can tell, can’t you?”

Rey sighed and sat back down on the crate. Rose was no threat to her. “Because I’m a Jedi.”

It was a cheap lie but Rose bought it. Rey knew because Leia had warned her about another defector on the grounds. 

“I’m a Lieutenant. Was. Am. I don’t know right now. My commander sent a Tie squadron after me so I don’t exactly know where I stand.”

“I’d say you got demoted.”

Rose didn’t find any humour in  that. “I didn’t want to be.  Dameron’s to blame.” After a pause, she corrected herself. “No, he’s not but he’s annoying and he winds me up.”

“He’s got  a way with people.”

“Yeah, he annoys them until they bend to his will. Not that I did, but... My father died, I’m trying to find out why.  Dameron was my only chance.”

Her confession was so sudden Rey was at a loss for words. She barely managed to get a sincere  _ sorry _ out in her shock. Rose became fixated on the  saber in her hand.

“I’ve never seen one in  person. I don’t even know how they work.”

“It’s a  kyber crystal,” Rey explained, turning Jinn’s  saber in her hands. “Like a blaster but the output is constant rather than repeated.”

“Cool. It’s pretty.”

“It belonged to my father. He passed away too, when I was young.” Rey smiled softly at the hilt as she traced the shallow lines engraved into the gold. She wondered from what he’d taken the metal from, if there was a ship he’d smelted down or perhaps a gift.. “I want to know what happened to him too.”

“Can I hold it?”

“It’s not a toy.”

“Well, duh, I’m certain no one would fight with toy lightsabers.”

Rey liked her. She held it out. “The hole points away from you. The  activator’s at the top where your thumb can comfortably reach.”

“No, I was going to point it at myself,” Rose rolled her eyes but there was a hint of mirth in them. She followed Rey’s instructions and turned it on. Her face lit up with a bright grin but the sudden beam of energy startled her. “This is bad _ ass _ . No wonder you Jedi always use these. Can you throw it, like a spear? Impale someone on the other side of the room?”

“Yes. It takes a lot of concentration but it’s possible.”

“Neat.”

“Can I have it back?” 

Rose flushed red and turned it off, passing it back to Rey with a smile. “Sorry, I just love tech. My parents were engineers and used to own a big repair shop on Hays Minor.”

“How  d’you end up Lieutenant?” 

“My dad joined the First Order when he was still young, because my mom got sick from all the pollution on Hays. He became Captain, and I followed him. I got to work in the engineering sector for a while, and then I got promoted after a couple skirmishes. My commander saw what I could do so he took me in under his wing.” Rose moved to sit beside  Rey. “And then my dad was killed trying to help the Resistance. I figured whatever he did must have been really important.”

“Your dad got that message to us.”

“Yes. He was part of it, at least. I want to know why it’s so important. He wouldn’t have risked everything for nothing. He had honour and a code.”

“His death wasn’t for nothing.”

“I hope that’s true.”

“Lucky for you, the Resistance is all about hope.” 

Rose smiled and bowed her head in gratitude. Poe sure had a way of finding new members, unorthodox as it was. If Rose could defect for the truth, perhaps Rey could find it in her to sit still and wait for a plan.

* * *

Sitting alone on the edge of the treeline, Luke felt more burdened than ever before. He knew what was to come; another confrontation with Ben. It was inevitable, and Luke feared he’d be unable to face the  Sith Lord. The boy’s angered face was scarred into Luke’s mind forever, and there were several of them to remember. Luke had failed him like no other.

He couldn’t kill Ben himself. All he saw was Han and Leia’s sweet child in that hateful face and he couldn’t do what needed to be done. His misery leaked through the Force and drew out an old friend. Luke sensed his presence but refused to look away from the base in the distance. 

His purposeful ignorance caused an old wooden stick to come smacking down on his knee. Luke yelped in pain.

“Ignore me, I will not let you.”

“Maybe I want to be alone with my thoughts,” Luke grumbled as he finally glanced down at his old master. The translucent figure of Yoda huffed and sat down on the damp grass, not that it could bother him.

“Across the Force, your thoughts can be heard. Noisy, it is.”

“Well, excuse me for having a lot on my mind. I’m not sure how to get Finn back. Has he truly gone Dark Side?”

Yoda blinked slowly. “Loyal to a fault, the boy is. Do anything to please his only friend, he will.”

“Ben’s not his friend. He’ll betray him like he did with Rey.”

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. For you to decide, that is not. Damaged are both men. Seeking power and peace, they are. Drives them both, fear does.”

“There’s no peace with the Dark Side. Finn has to see that.”

“In time. For now, an eye on your apprentice, you must keep. Dangerous is her will for revenge.”

Luke sighed and gestured towards the base, as if he could point right at her accusingly. “ _ She _ doesn’t listen to a word I say. I tell her to stay, she runs. She’s been running towards Ben for years, and I couldn’t stop her before. I don’t want her to be alone out there.” 

“Alone, she has never been.”

“Master Yoda, she’ll do anything to find Ben and Finn. How can I stop her?” Yoda chuckled quietly, and shook his head. Luke frowned. “What? What’s so funny?”

“Amusing, your thoughts are.” Yoda’s chuckles died down. “Own her, you do not, Skywalker. Her own person, she is, and complicated is her path. Stop her, you cannot. Merely protect, you may try.”

“Then what am I supposed to do? I can’t let her get hurt. There’s six other  Sith we know about. She won’t win against them.”

“No concern are the others. A distraction to the First Order, you must be.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere. Everywhere, they are. A concern to you, it is not. To the Sith Lord, Rey must go.”

Luke’s eyes widened and he stood up in outrage. “No! No way! I will not let her. I will go in her place, I’ll take Ben on if I have to. I refuse to risk her life- Ow!”

Yoda drew his arm back to swat Luke’s shin again but the Jedi stepped out of the way. As if his day wasn’t awful to begin with, now he was being harassed by Force ghosts.

“Your own path you have, decided by the Force it is. Control of Rey, you do not have.”

Luke looked up at the sky. “I hate the Force sometimes.”

Yoda ignored his grumbling apprentice. “Her destiny, she must walk herself. Alone, she is not. Promise you, I do.” 

“Master-”

Yoda was gone when he looked back down. 

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

* * *

It was a ridiculous plan. The Resistance had verged on stupid and reckless too often but this was taking it too far. Even Rey had her doubts about it. Luke, however, was certain.

“The  _ Finalizer _ is heading to Coruscant. If we cut it off right out of hyperspace, we can attack them out of nowhere.” He gestured across the space lanes with his finger poking through the hologram. 

Leia was unimpressed. Her hands were splayed on the table to support herself as her head bowed and shook. 

“Just why would we go and do that, Luke? We only have a few fighters.”

“Don’t you want to go and give them hell?”

“Of course, I do. But-”

Luke held up his palms. “Hey, it’s only the prize flagship of the First Order. It’s not as if it’s very valuable and holds sentimental value to a certain asshole currently residing on Coruscant.”

“Hux was its commander,” Poe added with a gleeful tone. “I, for one, would love to put a hole in its hull and watch it blow up into tiny pieces.”

“Imagine the explosion!”

Leia pointed a stern finger at Luke. “Do  _ not _ encourage him.” She turned to Poe. “And you, no explosions. We are not attacking a flagship. We will draw unnecessary attention to ourselves.”

“Then we do a strafing run. Jump out of hyperspace, shoot at it a few times, and jump back home. Look, we don’t need to blow it up-” Poe groaned in protest. “-but I think the galaxy has forgotten about us. I really don’t like the sound of it. Do you?”

“A strafing run?” Leia repeated. 

“In, boom, out. No dog fights, no ventral cannons, just a nice sting right where it hurts. Think about how offended he’ll be. We’re not even going to bother fighting, just remind the bastard we’re still alive and kicking. That will hurt.”

“Or he’ll think we don’t have the manpower to hold out for a fight. And he’d be right.”

Luke glanced around the room. The few rebels scattered about were eager to hear more of this plan, especially Poe. He turned back to Leia.

“You know you want to.”

A tiny smile pulled at one corner of her lips. “You know me too well.”

Poe cheered. The only unhappy people were Rey and Rose, for entirely different reasons. 

Rose excused herself from the meeting. They’d gathered everyone to come and listen, so they trusted her but Rose was as loyal to her military family just as much as her real family. The Resistance had given Rose a room and she quickly went to it, first to hide and then... because she’d kept more than her uniform.

* * *

As the fighters prepped to attack the  _ Finalizer _ during its transit, Rey frowned at her E-Wing. It had survived the flight back to  D’Qar just fine and she’d gotten used to its clunky controls. Poe came to her side, ready in his orange and white jumpsuit with BB-8 at his heel.

“I missed you,” he said with a sad smile. “Wasn’t easy seeing you go without a word. I know why you did and I don’t blame you. I ran as well, even if it was for a mission. We all need a break from this life sometimes.”

“I should’ve left you a note or something. I didn’t think, I just needed to go.”

Poe reached out to rub her back. She had gained even more muscle on Tatooine with nothing to do but train and meditate. 

“I know. We’ll get Finn back, won’t we?”

She nodded stiffly. “I won’t stop until we do. It’s my fault he came after me. Twice. I owe him. He can’t stay with  Kylo . I won’t allow that.”

“Do me a favour, Rey.” Poe glanced around to make sure they were alone before he continued, and leaned closer. “When you find  Kylo , kill him. Don’t hesitate. Do it. For you and everyone else he’s hurt.”

Her throat constricted and she found it hard to swallow. She’d been hesitant when  Duri mentioned it but Poe was her closest friend. He knew a Jedi was not supposed to seek revenge or to kill unless necessary, but Poe also knew what  Kylo took from Rey.  Kylo had also taken plenty from Poe. She felt better hearing it from him, like it was granting her permission.

“I won’t give him any mercy.”

“That’s my girl. See you at the  _ Finalizer _ . Fly well and shoot better, Rey.”

She pulled him into a brief hug and watched him climb into his X-Wing. As she did the same, using bars she’d welded to the side of the E-Wing, Luke waved to her from his cockpit. Rey reluctantly waved back and put on her helmet, answering the check calls. The top of the cockpit came down and she fired up the engines with the others.

The hyperspace lanes were usually a place to ease back and let the auto-pilot and navigator take over the work. Not this time. 

Rey refused to take her hands off the controls. It wasn’t the state of the ship she worried about but she wanted to be ready and not let her guard down. They’d soon come into contact with the Star Destroyer and she needed to be focused. It was a risky manoeuvre and a stupid plan, but Leia agreed and what she said happened whether or not Rey liked it. 

A beep came from her navigation screen. Co-ordinates. She tried to contact the other pilots.

“Red Leader, I just got some co-ordinates. Are we changing course? Over.”

Silence.

Her headset had worked just fine minutes ago during another check to ensure everyone was still on track. 

“ Red Leader ? Black Leader? Do you copy? Over.”

She took her hand off the controls and tapped the side of the helmet where the mic extended. 

“Hello? Can anyone hear me? Over.”

The screen beeped again and Rey stopped fiddling with her helmet. The warm presence was close by, like a sign of reassurance. 

“Red Leader, Black leader, if you can hear me- I'm headed to these co-ordinates. I’ll try to contact again later. Over and out.”

Rey changed  course and hoped the others would hear her message. In case they didn’t, Rey reached out to Luke and told him she’d be safe and hoped he could her hear through the Force.

It was far. She essentially turning back on herself and continuing down past  D’Qar into the  Atravis sector. She’d never been that far into the Outer Rim.

* * *

Rey wasn’t answering her checks. Her ship wasn’t anywhere near the squadron, and the panic was only calmed when Luke promised she was fine. Still, her sudden disappearance had unnerved the pilots. No one liked secret missions. The Resistance all had to be on the same level of knowledge or things would fall apart. Even the mention of the Force had not eased their hearts much, one less fighter could spell all sorts of trouble.

“Alright, coming out of hyperspace!” Poe announced, distracting the others as he assumed command. “We should drop out just as the  _ Finalizer _ gets there. Remember, fly as close as you can, shoot until I call you back, and we’ll jump away towards  Hosnian Prime. If they chase us, we’ll lose them in the debris.”

The X-Wings slowed their approach in unison, stopping just where Luke had suggested. The enormous shadow of the  _ Finalizer _ covered their ships and Poe stared up at the underbelly of the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer.

“Alright. They’ve got no idea we’re here. Let’s blow some holes in that ugly junk.”

Poe began to climb up along the starboard side and kept an eye on his men. He didn’t dare think about how many he’d lost the last time he’d gone up against the First Order. This time had to be different.

Readying to fire while they were still unnoticed, BB-8 beeped about an oncoming transmission. Poe ignored it. It wasn’t coming from his men.

“Light them up, boys!” He cheered as he fired the first shots against the hull. The real damage would be to the cannons and command deck, and he was tempted to dive and strike at the ventral cannons. He was fast enough. 

Behind him, the others were laying into the Destroyer with graceful ease. Some of the panels were breaking off and the machines beneath erupting in flames before the First Order could scramble Tie Fighters.

BB-8 warned of another transmission, as Poe ducked under and blasted one of the cannons to pieces. Just as he was about to ignore it again, something moved on the surface of Coruscant and it was coming closer. 

“Hey, anybody got eyes on the planet?” One of his squad members asked. “What is that thing?”

“It looks like-”

The transmission came again and Poe gritted his teeth, and accepted it. His heart stopped beating.

“At last, I was beginning to think your systems were malfunctioning. They are long outdated, after all,” General Hux taunted, with a smug look in his eyes. 

“Hugs, awful to see you again. Any reason you need to ruin my day? I’m a little busy.”

“Yes, I can see that. Nothing that can’t be repaired by nightfall. I want to thank you-”

“Black Leader , we’ve got incoming,” a pilot interrupted. 

“Deal with it, we’ve got this,” Poe dismissed, too caught up by the General’s unnerving calmness. “So, what exactly are you thanking me for? If it’s for last night, you must be confusing me with another handsome dark-haired beauty.”

“-For the perfect mission for my new commander. He needs first-hand experience leading a Star Destroyer before I hand him my flagship, and what better timing than now?” Hux looked over his shoulder. “You should know him already- he was responsible for Starkiller’s impressive and successful defence. I’m sure you remember that quite clearly.”

“Poe, we need back up!” 

He finally tore his eyes away from Hux and stared with wide eyes as the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer rose up from Coruscant, armed with hundreds of Tie Fighters swarming from its ports. They would not have been able to take the two vessels down with their old squads, let alone with just a dozen pilots.

“I’ll be watching, so make it entertaining for me and don’t die too soon. I want to savour the moment your pathetic ship explodes.”

If the General had something else to say, Poe didn’t want to hear it. He cut the transmission and spun the X-Wing back towards his squad. The  _ Finalizer _ had stopped its descent to the planet and now, the rebels were trapped in the middle of both Star Destroyers. There was no way they could continue their mission now, not with the oncoming Tie Fighters.

Poe froze in his starfighter. They’d all die here and he couldn’t come up with a single idea. He was reliving Starkiller all over again. Skywalker’s voice barely cut through the haze in his mind.

“Everybody, stick to the plan,” the Jedi instructed. “We make the jump now. Check in once you’ve reached  Hosnian Prime.”

“Copy that, Red Leader.”

Around him, the rebel ships darted away before the enemy could reach them. The  _ Finalizer _ had set loose its own fleet of Tie Fighters jettisoning out into space. Poe had put himself right in the middle of both forces, and BB-8 urged him to act as the Star Destroyers stood still. The fighters would soon encircle him.

“Poe, jump to lightspeed. Now!” Luke urged as he remained behind to oversee the rebel fleet’s retreat. 

His words and BB-8's panicked binary fell on deaf ears. Poe could not move. Not until a plan clicked in his head and he swerved his X-Wing upwards above the ring of fighters. They followed like a flock of ravenous bats, every pilot giving chase. Poe lead them towards the  _ Armistice _ . The commander onboard was responsible for his dead squadrons. 

Poe pushed the engines as he lowered the ship against the hull of the Star Destroyer, clinging to its surface to prevent the larger cannons from firing at him. They’d risk blowing themselves up. The Tie Fighters were hot on his trail, chipping off parts of his X-Wing as he finally pulled up and lined his targeting system with the command deck. His fingers twitched against the triggers and fired two rounds, before something knocked into the side of his ship and shoved him to the left. The impact threw him completely off-course and Poe recovered in time to avoid crashing into the Star Destroyer. 

When he looked up, expecting to see a flaming hole in the command deck, the view port was untouched. Deflector shields. They’d learned their lessons since the Empire. 

Much to his alarm, the X-Wing's controls weren’t responding to his touch. It wasn’t the droid’s doing, or a tractor beam, but Luke. Before he could yell into the comms, Luke cut him off.

“Jump now, while there’s still a chance,” he insisted. “Live to fight another day.”

Poe wanted blood, but the Tie Fighters had not relented and his ship was starting to take heavy damage. He cast one last glance at the command deck and punched in the hyperdrive. The Star Destroyer was gone in a blink.

Luke waited until he was certain Poe had gone, and jumped towards  Hosnian Prime. His only thoughts were on Rey’s safety, wherever she was. 


	13. Chapter 13

** Chapter 13 **

Fiery red  sabers arched through the darkened cover of night. Swift and merciless, the blades cut down anyone in the path of the Sith. The forest was ablaze with redirected blaster fire, and thick plumes of smoke and ash rose from the crackling trees that had barely managed to grow back in the desolate landscape. Screams echoed all the way back to the beginning of their fight, where those unfortunate enough to survive were left to die alone in the dark. 

A long trail of bodies led back to the  Upsilon shuttle, right where the ship been ambushed by over-zealous pirates with limited technology. The dead men should not have been there to begin with, and their presence was merely a short distraction from  Kylo’s mission. A  side-track that ended up taking far longer than he’d expected, though he wasn’t complaining. His blood was singing with glee and his body felt alive, moving gracefully between trees and enemies, taken them down with ease. Nothing could withstand his  saber . Or Finn’s.

The young apprentice was just behind him, taking care of the last few who stood between them and their towering goal in the distance. His helmet had been left behind on the ship and  Kylo took a moment to admire the ferocity in Finn’s eyes as another fell to his blade. He did not call a warning out to him as a figure snuck up from the side.

He did not need to.

Finn lifted his  lightsaber , swung his arm back in a horizontal swipe, and decapitated the enemy without even bothering to look in their direction. It wasn’t a clean cut, through the lower jaw rather than the neck, and the two pieces dropped to the ashy ground with a thud. Noticing that he was being observed, Finn nodded in  Kylo’s direction and stepped around the bodies to reach his master. 

“Are we getting close?” He asked, not even flinching when a flaming branch fell nearby.

“Just beyond these trees,”  Kylo answered as he reached up with a bloody hand and took Finn’s chin between his thumb and index finger. His apprentice’s eyes looked almost golden but it was the fire reflecting in them, not the power of the Dark Side- though he felt it coming from him too. “You’re growing stronger by the minute.”

“Think I could take on your pet droid by now?”

“You’d shred it to pieces.”

Finn grinned, and  Kylo let him go. They had more pressing matters.

In the distance was a strange structure with a pyramid-like shape, bisected halfway down, and with an enormous landing pad before it. Poised on the edge of a jagged steep cliff, the fortress was a black stain on the  regrowing planet. The lands behind and beneath the structure were twisted by rivers of lava, some of which had cooled and formed rolling layers of rock. Nature had tried to grow back through the cracks but the damage would take millennia to undo. Neither men could reach the fortress by foot.

Having dealt with the ambush, it wasn’t long before they could return to the shuttle and fly the short distance over the sea of glowing igneous rock. No one was waiting for them there. The fortress was abandoned and left to crumble down the side of the cliff, though they were not the first to attempt to open its locked gates. Bodies left to rot under the grey sky told of many conflicts waged on the landing platform. Perhaps the pirates had hoped to get inside.

The gates would not open for simple fools. The Dark Side kept the fortress locked down, and Kylo reached out to unlock decades of security measures. It recognised him, his blood- and the fortress allowed its gates to open for a descendant of the Skywalkers. The Sith stepped inside the entrance hall and Finn followed closely behind, keeping a wary eye in the dark corners of the enormous rooms and hallways. 

“You can feel it, can’t you? True power.”  Kylo’s fingers brushed the walls as he walked, as if he was under some sort of trance. He was utterly mesmerised by the history held within this place.

“You’ve never been here before?” Finn asked. They seemed to have walked into some sort of trophy room, lined with the weapons of ancient  Sith users and their armours. He was particularly fascinated by the head of a strange white droid, framed by long vertical spikes and a skull-like shape. The sockets were hollow as if eyes had once stared out of them.

“Snoke did not allow me to travel beyond where he instructed. The Dark Side showed me this place in my dreams, like a vision, when I was young. I always knew of its existence, the history of my grandfather, but I could never go. Not until I was free.

“Lord Vader had this fortress built just for him so he could have a place to store all of this. He spent years gathering as much as he could. It’s not a complete collection. So much of the  Sith’s history was destroyed by the Jedi, and some  artifacts have been lost forever.”

“Are we taking it all back home?”

“Some. I’m not sure what yet. There’s something here drawing me in.”  Kylo turned to Finn. “Treat this place with the utmost respect. There is more here than relics and old lightsabers.”

Finn nodded. “I’ll go have a look around, leave you to all this.”

“Don’t wander too far.”

The fortress no longer had any functioning power without anyone to maintain the thermal generators. The halls were pitch black and Finn used his  saber to light his way. It was cold too. Despite the heat of the lava outside and the thick cover of clouds keeping it trapped, Finn was shivering. He certainly felt the power  Kylo had mentioned and despite his growing confidence, the ex-trooper  was scared of what could be lying in wait deeper down. There was something beyond his and  Kylo’s energy, older and angrier.  Kylo would follow it, and Finn knew he would as well just to prove he was brave enough.

It led him to a door. Utterly unremarkable and unlocked. Finn was completely alone in the hallway; he checked just to make sure, but he didn’t feel alone. 

He opened the door and held his saber up. A face stared back at him, glowing red from his blade, and the young Sith startled. A helmet. Not a real person, but a blue helmet that creeped Finn out. He lowered his arm and with a frown, noticed that the red glow stayed right where the eyes should have been. Two red dots blinked lazily. 

Finn felt himself grow even colder, and the Force around him changed. He no longer felt safe in the embrace of the Dark Side. The hairs on his arms raised and dread filled his senses. The blinking was faster now, throbbing. 

“ _ Traitor _ ,” a voice spoke from the helmet. It was impossible.

Before he could even think, Finn slammed the door shut to block it out but it stopped halfway and slowly slid open again by itself like it was refusing to close. 

“ _ Unworthy traitor, _ ” it carried on, speaking to Finn though he was certain it was all in his head. “ _ Reach out, put it on. I will make you worthy _ .”

Finn raised a hand to take the helmet. Tempting, so tempting. In his head, he saw what the helmet’s power would bring. A world under his command, at his feet. He would surpass  Kylo and become the master of life and death. 

Behind him, he sensed Lord Ren and turned to watch him kneel on the ground like a servant. His head was bowed as the black  saber hilt was placed at Finn’s feet. They weren’t alone, the Knights were here too and bowing to him just like their master. When Finn looked to  Vicrul , he knew he was stronger than the older man- he could beat him in a heartbeat. They were no longer on  Mustafar but Coruscant, outside in the shade of dozens of Star Destroyers. The sound of synchronised marching caused Finn to look behind him at a sea of white troopers all waiting for his orders. They belonged to him. The First Order belonged to Finn. 

He blinked and he was sat in the Supreme Leader’s throne, gazing down on his armies.  Kylo set a crown upon his head, and beside him was Poe- dressed in a Tie pilot’s uniform. Alive, breathing, warm with life. 

The helmet shattered into tiny pieces right before his eyes. The illusion was broken. Finn stumbled back and collided with  Kylo’s chest, and he didn’t need to turn and check it was really him instead of an apparition. What the helmet could not replicate, was the sheer strength of the Dark Side in Kylo. 

“I saw him-” Finn began, still looking at Poe’s handsome face in his mind’s eye.

“It’s not real.”

“I could’ve brought him back. I could have! Why did you break it?!” Hands clamped down on Finn’s shoulders and squeezed hard enough to make him wince. The pain was comforting. Real.

“No one can bring back the dead, Finn. You’re not the first to fall for Momin’s tricks. The dead are dead, and nothing will ever bring them back to the way they once were.”

“You said death was not final...”

“Not for trained Force users. Their spirits can linger, but a corpse remains a corpse. And there was none left. I promise you it is all a lie. Immortality is not real, nor is resurrection. He’s gone, Finn. You know that.”

Finn slumped back against his master and shut his eyes. The only light came from his  saber and turning it off meant leaving  Kylo in the dark. He was deeply hurt but he could still be considerate.

“Why promise me all those things?”

“Some men are just cruel beyond hope. Momin was a monster. His mask was locked up here for a reason.”

“I didn’t unlock it.”

“Then I suppose it did that itself. Still, this was only part of the source. There are others here, saturated with evil intent. This fortress is a prison for these things.”  Kylo squeezed more gently. “Come, I want to show you something.”

Finn did not want to leave the comforting embrace. He refused to let the thoughts linger for longer than a moment, but he was not envisioning the hands on his shoulders as  Kylo’s but rather Poe’s. Even if they felt entirely different. 

Walking away from the broken pieces, Finn had to convince himself to believe  Kylo . Poe was gone, he was dead. There was no bringing him back from death. 

* * *

Along the way, Finn needed to let out some steam. The halls were winding and long, and whatever  Kylo was showing him was far. His thoughts were beginning to accumulate and instead of shutting them down, Finn allowed them to rot and continue to poison his mind. 

He was angry. For being tricked and manipulated, for thinking he was a god above the natural balance, and for still thinking so much about a friend who’d been a blink in his lifetime. Perhaps the best person Finn would ever encounter and care for, but that was irrelevant. Finn was all too aware of how much he was clinging to the past, mourning what had already been mourned dozens of times before. He should be over it, the truth should not hurt anymore. But he was not over it, and it hurt him more than anything else. He was angry for not being stronger than his emotions.

He stopped walking. The hall was  wide and lit by thin  slitted windows that gazed out upon the glowing sea beyond the fortress. 

“Fight me,” Finn said with determination, his  saber blade aimed towards the ground for now.

Kylo came to a stop and turned, an unimpressed look on his face. He wanted to keep going, not brawl in the hallway. 

“Why?”

“Because I need a distraction from all these thoughts.”

Kylo closed the space between them. His hilt was strapped to his belt and it stayed there. The light from outside was enough to see his apprentice’s wrathful eyes. 

“I thought I taught you discipline.”

“You also taught me to use my emotions as a fuel.”

“There is a time for that. This is not it.” Feeling sympathetic,  Kylo added, “What I want to show you will certainly distract you. Patience and discipline, Finn.”

“Please.”

“It’s not far. Prove to me you can control yourself.”

That was exactly what Finn did not want to hear. A challenge was not what he wanted. He wanted a fight, exertion, his brain to shut down all unimportant tasks. He wanted pain.  Kylo was denying him that. That itself was a task he was certain he’d fail but he carried on walking, closer to Kylo in case he felt the urge to stop again and break something. He understood his master’s outbursts more now.

The challenge felt impossible until they came to a large hall containing an enormous  bacta tank and several deactivated droid units, that had long since turned off to conserve power. Various armoured suits were hung from the walls and Finn had seen enough Empire-era propaganda footage to recognise them instantly. 

“Lord Vader’s private chambers,”  Kylo answered Finn’s silent question. “This is it. Everything that made him whole. His droids to fix the machines in his body, a suit to keep it all working together, and this-”

On a pedestal was Lord Vader’s helmet, intact and one of many he kept as replacements.  Kylo wandered to it and hesitantly touched the side of the visor. 

“I will take this back to  Talok . There are many great treasures  here but this is what I want most.”

Cradling the sides carefully,  Kylo lifted it up and dispersed the dust collected on the shiny  plastoid . It gleamed in the light filtering through a large window. 

“I can feel his power lingering. Perhaps this will finally bridge our connection. He’ll have to speak to me now.”

“Kylo?”

The  Sith glanced up from his reflection in the visor to Finn, who stood at the window. 

“I think we were tracked by the Resistance.” Out on the landing bay where the  Upsilon was parked, was a dirty E-Wing. No one flew those anymore. “I saw that thing back on Vandor. It’s them.”

Kylo sensed just who had landed. “I’ll deal with it.”

“I can join?”

Kylo stared down at the helmet and placed it back on the pedestal. “Get these droids and this room operational again. You will join once you’re done but the killing blow will be mine.”

Finn was happy with that.

* * *

The Force had guided Rey to  Mustafar and she knew exactly why when she saw the familiar black wings of  Kylo’s shuttle. As she climbed down from her ship, she was tempted to push the Upsilon down the cliff and into the lava. Her respect for the complex machine was too high to go through with it. The machine had done nothing wrong, it didn’t deserve to be barbarically melted down. Kylo, on the other hand...

With Poe and  Duri’s blessings, Rey accepted that she was going against the Jedi ways. But what exactly had the Jedi done except lie and cap her power? She was stronger than Luke. Stronger than Kylo. Rey was ready to prove that.

The fortress was immensely imposing but its jagged walls and body-littered entrance was not going to stop her. She felt  Kylo’s presence somewhere inside but she wasn’t going to run in there with no plan or back-up.

“Ren!” She yelled at the gates. “Come out and face me, you coward!”

Rey stepped back as she heard the locks click and hiss. Her dual- sabers ignited as the gates opened and her worst nightmare stalked out from the shadows. The silver lines of his helmet caught the combined glow of their weapons. 

“You survived. How?”  Kylo asked, gazing at her new parts. The red paint suited her, and  Kylo wished she’d possessed that same anger when they’d faced Snoke together. Now it was turned against him. 

“You think I’d accept dying to you? I came here to end you, Ren. This is over. I trusted you.”

“And I trusted you. I would’ve been next after Snoke. We both know we cannot share this galaxy.”  Kylo took a step closer. “I would’ve given you everything. We could’ve made this world ours and you chose to side with the Jedi, even after everything they did. You made your choice, Rey.”

Rey scoffed. “I didn’t get a choice. You think I chose to be a Kenobi? You did not give me the chance to even make a choice. You took everything from me. Now, it’s my turn!”

She raised her  sabers and sprinted at  Kylo , slashing widely to force him back against the gates. He blocked the highest blade and Rey shifted her weight to bring the lower one upwards. Unable to defend against it,  Kylo jumped back. She was stronger than before, her time since had been spent well. 

He didn’t move back far enough. The end of her blade stabbed into his visor and sliced through the  plastoid and metal, leaving a gash from the visor directly across through the vocoder and breathing apparatus. The heat scalded his skin and the raw scream that escaped his throat was human, no longer twisted and deepened by his mask. He looked up through the gash.

A shiver raced down Rey’s spine as he screamed and tore off the melting helmet. It was still mostly intact but the  plastoid was smoking and giving off fumes, and the heat was unbearable. The helmet dropped to the ground with a  thunk and  Kylo cradled the side of his face with his gloved hand. Blood poured through his fingers. It had not cauterised completely.

His remaining eye was trained on Rey, refusing to let her come any closer so she could finish her attacks.  Kylo was not going to die to her. His hand lowered and Rey’s stomach turned at the sight of his mangled right eye. She noted the scar along his face but it was older, not as damaging as her blow. Her saber had gone through into the socket. There was nothing left but torn muscle and blood.

He stumbled away from the corner she was trying to force him into, giving him more space to swing at her though the arcs were weaker. His grip wasn’t as tight on the hilt with the blood on his gloves, as he fought against the pain. Kylo refused to die here.

“You’ll pay for that!”

Her  sabers could disconnect in the centre and with the Force,  Kylo reached out to unclasp them. Her weapon broke into two parts and for a brief second,  Kylo had the chance to spear her through the chest. Instead, he used the distraction to pull the third hilt she kept on her belt. 

Three was excessive. What could she even do with that?  Kylo yanked it free as he ducked beneath her arm and came up behind her. He could hardly see her through the curtain of blood coming over his eye. His vision was blurring, he couldn’t tell where she was without the Force. 

Rey bared her teeth like a feral creature. “Give me that! It doesn’t not belong to you and it never will!”

Kylo weighed it in his palm and pressed the activator. The golden blade sung with energy. 

“Just who did you steal it from?”

“I didn’t steal it. It belonged to my father! It’s mine. Give. It. Back.”

Kylo swung it through the air. “Come get it.”

Two  sabers each. It should’ve been a matched fight. 

Kylo was losing too much blood and his tolerance was slipping further and further. The world around them no longer had any detail. It was blurred red and Rey was a shadow in his vision. He couldn’t see her face anymore, he relied on the glow of the blue  sabers to know her position. 

Slashing wildly,  Kylo caught her metal arm. It was not resistant to his blade and the limb flew off, along with her  saber . She stared at it in shock.

“I just upgraded that.”

Kylo would’ve laughed if he’d had the strength in him. Rey did not appreciate his smug smirk. Ducking low, she swung her leg out and knocked him over. Before the  Sith could scramble back to his feet, Rey jumped on him and straddled his chest. Her legs pinned his arms down and the metal dug just a bit deeper and sharper, cutting through his thick sleeve and drawing blood. 

“I did not come here to spare your life,” Rey stated as she Force-pushed his  sabers out of his hands. “Tell me, before you die like a dog; why did you do this to me? I loved you, even through everything. You were my brother!”

Kylo bucked beneath her but she was not budging. His strength was nearly depleted and he panted for air, focusing on just  _ focusing _ . Everything was slipping away.

“We had a plan. We were so close!”

Kylo breathed out a weak laugh. “Answer me first: would you have killed Skywalker?”

Rey teared up. “Yes. I would have done anything for you,  Kylo .” 

The  Sith turned his head to the side and Rey was glad she didn’t have to keep looking at the damage she’d wrecked. 

“I was certain you would turn against me. Snoke always wanted you to replace me. I couldn’t have that. I thought I was all alone. Everyone was against me. I couldn’t let the torture continue. I had to make it all stop somehow.”

“I wasn’t against you.”

“You are now.”  Kylo yanked his arm free from her human leg but Rey wasn’t afraid he’d attack. She could see he was close to death. His hand came up to cradle the side of her neck tenderly. “I loved you too. I still do.”

Rey’s tears ran down her cheek. She knew this was it. Her hand closed over his.

“But I refuse to fail like my grandfather. I will not fall to a Kenobi.”

His fingers clenched down on her throat and Rey clawed at his hand desperately. His body was on the brink but he’d never felt closer to the Force.

“Kylo...” Rey wheezed, her face turning red. Her hand dropped to his throat but before she could choke him, red and gold  sabers came down like a cross between them. The Force retreated from her throat enough that she could breathe.

Glancing up, she  met Finn’s dark eyes.

“Both of you stop, now.”

“Finn! Do it! We have our chance, kill-” The gold  saber came up dangerously close to her face.

“Get off him, Rey. I won’t warn you again.”

Nodding slowly, she carefully lifted herself up and climbed off the  Sith , taking a step away from his slumped body. Finn turned the  sabers off and knelt by the  Sith . As  Kylo raised a hand to continue choking Rey, Finn laid his own hand over it and pushed it back down.

“Stop. Conserve your strength.”

“Finn, what are you doing? We can end this,” Rey begged, staying a safe distance away. She wasn’t sure what to make of any of this.

“Leave.”

“What?” Finn stood abruptly, ignited his  saber , and Rey realised that the red blade was his. “You’re a  Sith . He made you into a Sith.”

“He saved my life,” Finn corrected. “I had nothing. I was left behind! The Resistance gave up on me, no one came looking! Solo and Skywalker left me behind to die!” He glanced back at  Kylo . “There’s a  bacta tank. Help me carry him in there and I’ll let you live.”

“Are you serious?!”

His  saber raised higher. “I don’t want to hurt you. Help me.”

Without waiting for her response, Finn turned back to  Kylo . He gathered up the  Sith’s saber , and scooped up the unconscious man into his arms.  Kylo was heavy but Finn barely noticed in his panic. He couldn’t let him die.

Rey watched Finn carry him back into the fortress. 

Perhaps  Kylo had known something like this would happen. That’s why he’d asked for Vader’s droids to be reactivated. Perhaps he’d expected to put Rey inside. It had been a good idea because Finn knew virtually nothing about bacta tanks, and he left it up to the droids who quickly got to work. The right side of Kylo’s face was entirely drenched in blood that had not yet dried and stopped flowing. 

He stared as the droids did what they could. Kylo had been able to talk and use the Force, so the burns were not deep enough to reach his brain. At least, so he prayed. 

“Why would you want to help him?” Rey asked from the entrance way. 

“Because I want to. He’s my master, I care for him. More than you’d ever understand.” Finn paused and looked at her, finally taking all of her in. “He told me you were dead.”

“I suspect he thought so. I was barely alive by the time I came back to base. I stayed out of sight afterwards.”

“Why did you try to kill him?”

Rey braved coming closer. Finn seemed calmer. Her  saber was sheathed in his thigh-holster, beside his own hilt. 

“Look at me. He cut off my arm. Again.”

Finn frowned. “Snoke did that.”

“Is that what he told you? Of course, he’d lie to protect himself. It was him, Finn.  Kylo did this to me. He lost control.”

“No. He’s not like that. He wouldn’t do that.” Finn didn’t believe his own words. 

Rey scoffed harshly. “Yes, he is. I didn’t know he was capable of it, either. Luke said he killed Snoke right afterwards, right through a hologram. Do you have any idea how much strength it takes to choke someone across the galaxy?”

“Yes.”

“So why is it hard to believe he hurt me as well?”

“It... isn’t. I just-”

One of the droids rolled closer. “Patient stabilised. Vital signs are returning to normal.” It rolled away before Finn could thank it.

Rey dared to sit with her back against the wall, next to Finn. “We can hurt him back for everything. Finn, you don’t owe him anything. Turn off those machines.”

He chuckled dryly. “You sound more like a  Sith than he does.” 

“He took everything from me.”

“And he gave me everything. A purpose, a life, a family. No one has ever cared about me, no one’s ever killed for me, or risked everything for me. He has. He’d do anything for me, and I would as well.” He turned his head to her. “I care for you, Rey. You were a good friend and you helped me, but it was because of you that I got captured. Twice. I’ve put my life on the line for people who would not do the same too many times now.

“I wanted to run from the Resistance and I should have. They claim they help people but I’ve seen what their rebellion causes. The lives lost because they refuse to accept the world has moved on and changed. I thought they’d help me but they didn’t. They left me to die.

“They were all looking for you and they left. When I got captured, I got knocked out and flown to Snoke. I thought for certain he’d torture me like he did with  Kylo . I’d seen what he was capable of. But instead,  Kylo was there, he’d survived and he wanted to help me. And he has. I’ve achieved more with him than I ever could have with Skywalker, or with the Resistance.”

“Finn, the First Order kills people. You can’t align with them.”

“And the Resistance doesn’t? I was on Naboo! I saw the civil war, I saw my brothers dying in the streets, I saw civilians caught up in a battle they never asked for! Why? Because the Resistance thinks it can put the galaxy back to how it was decades ago.” Finn flailed his arms as he spoke. “It’s just tiny little wars here and there, just making a big fuss over nothing and it gets so many people killed! Look what happened to Vandor! To  Hosnian Prime!”

“The First Order murdered them.”

“They were corrupt! There’s no justice in this world. Planets are left on their own, there’s no system to save them from slavery or famine. The Core holds all the wealth, and the syndicates down there? They just want blood and money. I saw it myself. I’ve been to Kessel and to Coruscant, and I’ve heard about Mandalore. All because some rebels think that civilian lives aren’t valuable. How is terrorism any way to rule a galaxy?”

Rey had to look away from Finn. He’d never been more passionate about the First Order than now. 

“You used to hate them. What changed?”

“I saw things for how they really are. What’s necessary and what isn’t.  Kylo and I are changing things, making it safer and better. We’re helping people. We have plans, they just take time. Not everybody can see that.”

“You’ll still protect him even after he lied to you. After what he did to me.”

Finn hated his answer but it was the truth. “Yes. I don’t even know how long I’ve been at his side now, but nothing will change that.”

“It’s been a year, Finn. More, maybe. I was on Tatooine for most of it. I didn’t keep track of time there. I was cut off from  everything .”

“And you came back just to kill Kylo?”

“Yes.” Rey hated her answer too. “That  lightsaber , the golden one, I want it back. It was my father’s.  Kylo took it during the fight as a trophy.”

Finn wordlessly reached down to his thigh-holster and took it out. “Least I can do. Your dad must’ve been a big shot. Gold blades are rare.”

“I know, and he was. I hope someday I make him proud, wherever he is in the Force.”

“I’m sure he is already. Hell, look at you. You survived that and came out stronger.”

Rey smiled tightly. “I trained day and night so that I wouldn’t be useless.”

“You’re not. I’ve never seen anyone take  Kylo down, and I live with a band of  Sith mercenaries. Isn’t it the Jedi way to forgive?”

“I don’t think I have the right to call myself that anymore. Plus, I don’t want to forgive him.” She paused and stared at Finn. “I won’t kill him this time. I promise you that. But if I cross paths with him again, it will take an army to stop me.”

“I don’t want you to kill each other. I’ll do everything in my power to stop that from happening.”

She laid a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a good person, Finn. You don’t deserve to be in the middle of this.”

“If I wasn’t, one or both of you would be dead right now.” He shrugged off her hand. “Go. Go back to the Resistance or whatever. I’ll just say you over-powered me and escaped. It’s feasible.”

“Finn... I want you to come back with me. Get away from all of this.”

“Back to the Resistance? Did you not hear what I said? I refuse to go anywhere near them.”

“I think there’s somebody who’d love to see you. Poe’s alive. I don’t know if you knew. He escaped  Starkiller .”

Finn swallowed painfully. “That’s sick. That you’d use that to lure me.”

“I’m not luring you, Finn,” she pressed. “He’s alive. He was leading an attack on the  _ Finalizer _ when I split off to come here. Granted, it was a few days ago. My ship’s not the fastest even in  hyperspeed . He’s probably back on  D’Qar waiting for me.”

“Wait, the  _ Finalizer _ ? Why would you do that?”

“Luke and Leia agreed to remind the First Order they’re still kicking. I didn’t approve but well...”

“So they risked lives. Poe’s life. Again.”

“He went willingly.”

“Of course, he did. He doesn’t care if he lives or dies. He’s reckless and stupid. And... he’s really alive, isn’t he? Unless the  _ Finalizer _ blew him to pieces,” Finn added sourly. 

“Don’t think that way. You know Poe too well. He’s fine, probably relaxing in the sun with a drink.” Finn wasn’t entirely convinced. “Come back and see him. If you still want nothing to do with us after that, then go. But give it a chance.”

“No. My place is at  Kylo’s side. I’m sorry, Rey.”

“I’m the one who should be  sorry. You’re right, it was my fault you got caught. I’ll go, but please... be careful.  Kylo’s not who he says he is. He lies and he manipulates.”

Finn did not comment on that. It would spark another fight. He watched Rey leave and got up to the window. With the cover of clouds, it was impossible to tell the time of day. After a couple minutes, Rey emerged from the gates and headed straight to her ship. It fired up and shot off into the distance, and Finn expected to feel relieved. He did not.

Turning back to Kylo, Finn knew he needed reinforcements. He went down to the shuttle and reached out to  Talok , hoping someone was there to help. He should’ve known Vicrul would answer.

“Everything alright, boss?” He asked, only his voice coming through. 

“It’s Finn. I need you to come to  Mustafar immediately.  Kylo’s hurt bad.” Finn filled him in on simplified details, reassured that  Kylo was stable for now, and insisted on the Knight’s help. 

“Give me a day.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey, listen to me. You keep that boy alive or you’ll end up like Ushar. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

Vicrul cut off, presumably to start up his ship. Finn sighed and rested his forehead on his folded arms. He had so many questions to ask  Kylo when he was conscious again. 


	14. Chapter 14

** Chapter 14  **

The remains of the  Hosnian system were scattered across space, creating enormous asteroid fields and gravitational dips that caused Poe’s X-Wing to miscalculate the path ahead. He couldn’t safely jump without risking crashing into a chunk of rock. Slowing the engines, he drifted between the asteroids and stared at the glowing centre of the supernova. It shouldn’t still be reacting but its burning light was still there, clouds of blue and gold and red expanding and drifting further away from the core. He could see the other planets that  Starkiller had reduced to ashes, distant explosions of light and debris that marked the massacre.

All trade routes going through had been redirected, and Poe was glad he was mostly alone. Up ahead, the other pilots had  gathered and Poe was eager to join them.

“Everyone alright?” He asked through the comms, inspecting the ships as he came to a stop. Red three had lost her  Astromec but her X-Wing remained intact for the most part.

“They banged up my ship a little but I hit ‘ em back,” she said with a grin, though Poe couldn’t see it. The supernova’s light was reflecting off their cockpits. “You’re not looking too good, Black Leader .”

His top right wing sparked. “I’m alright. Been through worse. Isn’t that right, buddy?”

BB-8 confirmed timidly. He was still shaken up from his owner’s rash decision. Droids did not  have fear programmed into them, if they died- that was part of their mission, but BB-8 did not want Poe to kill himself even if it was part of the job. 

“You all made it. Good,” Luke called out as he joined them. Poe was ready to argue with him the second his ship pulled up, but Luke cut him off. “They were ready for us. I’ve fought enough Star Destroyers to know they can’t scramble that fast, and certainly not to defend like that.”

Reluctantly, Poe put aside his anger. “Hux said it was a test for a new commander. They knew, alright.”

“But how? We moved too fast, they couldn’t have predicted it.”

“Someone could’ve talked,” Red five suggested.

“Hey,” Luke cut in, “We don’t need talk like that. Not now. We’ll find out how it  happened and we’ll deal with it, but for now- we need to head home. You all know what you’re doing?”

“Yes, sir,” the pilots answered.

“Okay, go now. Poe, you’re sticking with me.”

The X-Wings divided up into two teams, one headed towards the  Corellian system to lose any possible pursuers and the other would slingshot around  Pasaana and avoid the First Order presence there. Luke and Poe were left behind.

“You did something real stupid back there,  Dameron ,” Luke chided though it was coming from his heart. Too many Resistance fighters had been lost. Luke didn’t want to see another die.

“He’s responsible for my whole fleet dying. I have to kill him.”

“I understand, but you won’t destroy the First Order by crashing your ship. You would’ve been nothing more than a crushed bug. What were you even thinking? They have deflectors, you know that.”

“I should’ve hit the hyperdrive.”

“No, you should’ve used your head. We’ll get them, we will. But not like this. Now, either you stick to the plan or I’ll have you dismissed from the fleet.”

“Sir-!”

“You think I want to do  that? You’re reckless and you’re losing your grip. You’re not sacrificing yourself for the greater good, you’re letting Leia down. What will she do without her best pilot? We won’t win this war if you throw your life away.”

Poe gazed out across the scattered glowing dust clouds. A whole system had been here. Trillions of lives. All gone within seconds.

“Poe, you’re like a son to me. I can’t bear to lose any more fighters but this is war, and losses are expected. I know the risks every time we head out. I know this could be the last time I ever speak to any of you, but to do what you do- throw the plan aside and do your own thing? You’ll get others killed along the way.”

“I just want this war to end.”

Luke sighed softly. “So do I. But we won’t win it like this. Let’s get back to  D’Qar , find out exactly what happened to our intel, and live to fight another day.”

“Sir, I can’t promise I won’t take the necessary risks. If I have a shot, you know I’ll take it.”

“There’s no shame in retreating, Poe. It’s not a weakness, it’s strategy. I’ll see you back at base, kid.” Luke turned his old X-Wing around and shot off into hyperspace. 

Poe was still fixated on the debris swimming in the vacuum around the supernova. A year later and its core was still reacting and shining brightly, forming tiny little stars. He wondered how long it would take before Hosnian Prime no longer glowed, before it was forgotten and the trade routes would go right through where the planets had once orbited.

He was tempted to head right back to Coruscant, find a way to blow up those Star Destroyers. Deflectors be damned, he’d find a way. But then what? He’d die, perhaps accomplishing nothing. Luke was right, even if it irked the pilot to admit it. Leia needed him alive.

* * *

As soon as Poe climbed out of his X-Wing and was greeted by C-3PO, he knew something was wrong. The golden droid’s face could not change but his tone was worrying.

“The General has assembled the troops in the command room, sir. She insists on your presence.”

“Did everyone make it back?” Poe asked as he surveyed the hangar.

“No, sir. It seems Lady Rey has not returned yet.” 

Poe placed a hand on  Threepio’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about her. She’s doing something else. But aside from her?”

“Every other pilot is accounted for.”

Poe’s heart flooded with relief. Finally a mission with zero  casualties . “Good. Thanks, buddy.”

The command room was shockingly somber when Poe walked in. Leia sat at the table with Luke and Han to her sides, and the remaining rebels gathered around. Her eyes warmed when she saw Poe, but he did not receive her usual kind smile and motherly embrace when he normally returned from a fight. 

“General,” he greeted as he braced his hands on the edge of the table.

With Poe’s arrival, Leia began. “As I’m sure you’re all aware by now, the mission was compromised. My sources on Coruscant told me the  _ Armistice _ was ready for a fight before you even set out, but since they didn’t know of our plan- they couldn’t warn us in time. The First Order knew we were coming. It’s not a mystery how this happened. R2, if you wouldn’t mind, please.”

The droid beeped and rolled closer to the table. 

“I have valuable information regarding the Resistance,” the droid’s speaker played out, visualised by a wavering hologram. Poe’s fingers dug into the surface of the table. “The Finalizer will be attacked in one rotation’s time above Coruscant. I have more information and I will share it with you if we can come to a beneficial agreement. Reach me on this channel once you’ve seen for yourself my intel is correct. I’ll be waiting.”

R2-D2's recording came to an end and the room was left in deep silence. Leia crossed her hands beneath her chin and Han rubbed her shoulder gently.

“Where is she?” Poe asked when no one spoke up.

“Gone. She stole a ship and we weren’t quick enough to catch her before she took off,” Han answered.

“It’s my fault. I brought her here.”

Leia shook her head. “No, you did what you thought was right. I’m to blame. I trusted her too quickly. We don’t know what Rose will do next. She has our location and Maker knows how much intel she listened in on before she ran. I’m ordering an evacuation. If she gets back to the First Order, it will be Vandor all over again. We can’t risk it.”

“Where do we go? We haven’t got any transporters to live onboard of anymore.”

Han raised his hand halfway up. “We were considering Coruscant before. It’s right under their noses, and they’d never be able to use  Starkiller against us. There’s a lot of places to hide down there, and we’ve already got contacts.”

“How do we get past the security system?” Luke asked.

“I can help with that too. I’ll get us some smuggling transports, won’t take long. For now, let’s get all our data transferred and wiped clean.”

Leia looked across the disappointed rebels. “I am sorry. I failed you all. I’ll do everything in my power to make this right. Go grab your belongings, fuel the ships. You know the drill by now.”

Despite the looming threat, there was a sluggish reluctance to move out. How many times would they have to run? It came with the life they'd chosen but  D’Qar should’ve been safe. It wasn’t on any maps, no one except rebels knew of its existence. Until now. Poe had not thought the base would be their forever-home but perhaps it could’ve lasted a few years. 

At least he’d been gone for so long that his stuff had remained packed, in a room he barely used at all. He was reluctant to leave the command room.

“What about Rey? She doesn’t know.”

Luke waved his hand. “I’ll find a way to get through to her.”

Poe nodded weakly and glanced to Leia. She looked so tired, more so than usual. He couldn’t begin to imagine the weight on her shoulders these days.

“General... I- This is my fault, even if you don’t think so. I thought Rose could be trusted. I’m the one who’s sorry here. Whatever it takes, I’ll get us a new home.”

“I know.” Leia shrugged off Han’s hand and stood. She didn’t meet anyone’s eyes as she left to gather her own things. Poe watched her go silently, and respectfully bowed his head to the others before he left as well. 

* * *

Kylo should not be up and walking around, but the  Sith Lord had never been exemplary in following orders, even those of medical droids. He paced the wood-panelled room and stared out of the wide window across Coruscant. The sunlight was hitting the glass in a way that he was spared having to look at his own disfigured reflection.

A shaking hand reached up to the hollow dip of his eye socket. The  bacta had closed any tears but there was no healing what had been burned out. The silver lining, if it could be called that, was that his vision had not worsened further than before. When a knock startled him, he turned towards it out of habit. The second Hux stepped inside, he quickly turned away and hid his face.

“I heard you moving, I assumed you were awake,” Hux said with a softer tone than normal. From what  Kylo had briefly seen, he’d only just returned to his apartment. He heard the General shrug off his greatcoat and lay it across a nearby chair. It was his home, after all. “I figured you’d prefer to have your privacy. My personal doctor saw to your recovery, so I assure you no one else knows you’re here in this state. Besides your Knight and your apprentice. They brought you to me.”

Kylo could only manage a weak, “Thank you.”

“Of course. Your image as Supreme Leader must remain intact. Considering your condition, I suggest you stay here for a few days before you head back to Talok.”

“I haven’t returned for a while. Staying here won’t be a problem. I appreciate your offer. It’s a nice place.”

Behind him, Hux came closer but there was hesitance in his movements, like he was nervous of coming closer.  Kylo kept his head turned away.

“Your apprentice told me what happened.”

“I lost.”

“A battle perhaps, not the war. You’ll kill this Jedi next time, I do not doubt in your fighting capabilities.”

“Any sighting of her?” 

Hux shook his head. “No, but I do have some interesting news if you’re not too exhausted.”  Kylo gestured for him to carry on. “One of Commander Pryde’s defective officers reported to us while you were away. She had intel on the Resistance and claims to have the location of General Organa.”

Kylo stiffened. “Have you acted on this information yet?”

“Only to defend our troops from an assault. Sadly, they were unable to capture or kill any of the rebels but a scout reported seeing activity in the  Sanbra sector, and the intel seems to be legitimate. I haven’t ordered anything yet, I wanted to inform you first.”

“I was unaware you could see past your bloodlust.”

Hux chuckled. “Just because I have not sent out the kill order, does not mean I have not prepared. I have moved the _Finalizer_ to guard Coruscant. In the meantime, the  _ Armistice _ will lead the assault and if need be,  Starkiller will do the rest. The Jedi will likely return home.”

“If Organa is stationed there, Kenobi won’t be alone. Skywalker will be there too. I... I believed I was strong enough to take them on, but perhaps I’m weaker than I thought. I have lost to them both now, and Finn is not ready to take on either.”

“You don’t have to fight alone. You have your Knights. And you have me.”

Kylo misunderstood his meaning and laughed. “I appreciate your eagerness but the Jedi would rip you to shreds. I would never think to put you on the front lines knowing your death would be instantaneous. You’re far too valuable to me and the First Order.”

The General’s eyes widened at the unexpected praise. “At last, you finally see my worth. Took you long enough. Though if necessary, I’d take on any challenge if my life was on the line.”

“I have always seen your worth.”

“Well, I- What I  _ meant _ , Ren,” Hux continued with a flush to his cheeks, “was that you have my army at your disposal . I’ll supply as many troopers as you need. After all, my personal guards have been trained to deal with tougher enemies. I’ve been extending that training to others I deem skilled and worthy.”

“There’s no honour in needing allies to take on a Jedi. I should be able to do it myself and yet-”

“And yet you are expecting a certain level of strength that you are currently lacking.” Before  Kylo could choke him for his insolence, Hux quickly added, “I assure you, I mean no disrespect. I’ve seen you fight. You’re more than capable of eradicating the Jedi and all our enemies combined. But what good is an injured fighter?”

“My apologies for being  _ blind _ , Armitage,” Kylo spat, suddenly whirling on the General as his strength was questioned by someone other than his own self-loathing mind. 

Hux stood his ground with remarkable control but his expression was all  Kylo needed. He was disgusted at the sight. Who wouldn’t be? The first scar had been grotesque enough. The General’s hand on his cheek was startling,  Kylo could not have seen it coming at that angle and it angered him further.

“This is nothing,” Hux dismissed, as if he had any idea what it was like.  Kylo almost thought to crush his throat. “I’ve seen you survive everything Snoke threw your way.”

His thumb reached the edge of the socket and  Kylo would’ve preferred if Hux had been wearing his leather gloves. It would’ve put a barrier between them. It was easier to pretend Hux was a heartless machine most of the time, rather than flesh and blood. Rather than human.

“I’ve seen you return mangled from your trials, ribs protruding through your shirt, your organs barely held inside you with your own hands. I’ve seen the cruelty inflicted on you by your master. You survived that, despite every attempt made on your life. Ren, are you honestly telling me this is where you draw the line? This is what kills the great Sith Lord? A pathetic girl took your eye and you believe you’ve lost your strength?”

Kylo had no words. Armitage was happy filling in the silence for him.

“This can be fixed. Replaced. I’ll draw up some plans for a cyber implant. You’ll have your sight back, better than before.”

“Don’t you have better things to do than worry about me?”

“My loyalty and interests lie with the First Order, and as I recall- You happen to be to ruler of it. For once in your life, Ren, let someone worry about you.”

“I’m not used to that.”

Hux smirked. “I know. Get some rest, I’ll get to work.”

His hand fell back to his side and  Kylo instantly missed it. A weakness for certain, but he couldn’t remember the last time someone had touched him without the intent to harm. 

In a very quiet and barely audible voice, he mumbled, “Thank you, Armitage.”

“Thank me when I’m done, Kylo.”

The door to the bedroom shut gently behind the General as he gave him some peace and privacy. Despite the enormous window, the apartment was too high up for anyone to peer inside and no ship  was allowed to fly close to the tower. No one could see  Kylo carefully sitting down on the ground with his knees drawn up to his chest. 

He peered over his knees and a reflection in the glass made him look behind him. Sat on the floor by the bed were two helmets; his own with a melted gash running across it and Lord Vader’s helmet from  Mustafar . Lifting it in the air,  Kylo brought it down into his lap and stared into its dark eyes. It was his now.

* * *

Unable to ask Ren any questions left Finn empty and angry. He was loyal, he respected his master, he wanted to be at his side and become his equal. But Rey had come back like a ghost to haunt him. Now, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. 

Just what had happened on  Starkiller ? Why had  Kylo attacked her? 

He thought he could trust  Kylo .

Her words tore at his mind. It was like everything he knew was crumbling away, and he was left with no direction to go. If Poe was truly alive, was going to him the right thing to do? Finn knew the pilot would never leave the Resistance or give up his need to defeat the First Order. They were opposites now, Poe would not recognise Finn- and Finn could not accept Poe’s choices. Returning would only harm them both. It was best to stay away.

In hindsight, Finn was glad he’d retreated to the empty training hall normally used by the General’s personal guard. It was topped with the strongest droids- some of which Finn knew could decimate a whole city if unleashed. Just as the guards used them as practice, the droids were there to be tested on their capabilities. 

Built like a mechanical spider, the droid Finn had chosen could scuttle and cling to any surface even upside down, but it could also compress its shell to a more humanoid figure and stand upright, wielding six vibroblades of pure  cortosis . Finn’s  saber could not cut through the  kyber -resistant material. 

He knew there were other types of droids, bigger and more ferocious than this unit, but Finn wanted to burn energy and still walk away a winner. His arms ached from his workout, and the droid had lost three of its appendages already. Five more to go.

It was a perfect distraction. No one dared to bother him. Someone had walked in earlier, seen his  lightsaber swinging wildly against the droid, and walked right back out. 

Four more appendages to go. The droid’s leg was cut clean off but it was programmed to balance on the others, so until it was just a torso and a head, Finn still had some fight to go. He ducked under the  cortosis blades and spun behind the droid, slashing at its elbow. The metal fell with a loud  thunk and the machine jumped away in the corner of the room. 

“Come at me,” Finn dared, “You know you want to.”

Its mechanical eyes narrowed at him. Finn glared back.

“Come on, you piece of junk. Once we’re done here, I’ll make sure you melted down to scraps and turned into a toaster. Maybe then you’ll fulfil your purpose,  ‘cause you sure as shit can’t do it here!”

Finn knew droids had no understanding of  anger but he swore he felt it coming from the spider. It was angry at him. The thing leapt from the ceiling with its limbs extended and Finn rolled out of the way just as it landed, vibroblades ready to cut his own appendages off. 

“Missed me,” he gloated, turning his upper half towards the droid so he could remove another limb. 

Two more.

Unable to wield a blade without giving up its balance, the droid became defensive. It had no mouth in which to hold anything, so it jumped, trying to crush Finn under its clawed feet. Finn evaded easily and as it jumped again, Finn swung his blade out and cut the last two limbs off. The remains dropped from the air. 

“Knew you were useless.”

An ominous beeping came from the droid’s torso and it glared at Finn, priming its detonator. Throwing his hand out, Finn used the Force to make a shield just as the droid blew to pieces. The explosion curled up against the invisible wall protecting him, but the open sides erupted with flames and shrapnel shot off in every direction. 

“Alright, maybe you can do some damage,” Finn admitted as he stared up at the ceiling impaled with metal. The floor was scorched with tiny trails of burning scraps. “Could’ve been worse, I suppose.”

The fire-suppressant turned on. Finn heard the sprinklers before the water came down but he wasn’t fast enough to shield himself. There was no point now. He was drenched in a heartbeat. The water turned off after a minute, draining through grates in the floor. 

Finn dragged a hand over his wet hair. It had grown long enough to braid against his scalp. Cutting it meant remembering his time as a trooper, forced to wear it short for hygiene and simplicity. He preferred it this way even if he had no clue how to style it beyond what Trudgen had taught him.  His clothes were soaking wet now, though. That was far worse than wet hair. He had to trail back through to the changing rooms, where he did not have a spare set. Just as he gathered the cortosis blades aside, the doors to the hall opened. It didn’t matter this time, he was done training for the day. He looked up and froze.

“ Kylo ? I thought you were recovering.”

The  Sith walked further inside and gazed at the scorch marks and shrapnel with raised brows. He turned to Finn with a tilt of his head. Finn shrugged.

“They’re there to train with. Not my fault they have a self-destruct protocol.” Finn paused and came to his side. “Your eye...”

“What do you think?”

Finn couldn’t look away from the cybernetic eye. It spoke entirely of  Kylo’s style. The eyeball was made of a black metal, fine lines running through as the thin panels came together to form the shape of the orb. In the center was a red pupil and if Finn looked very closely, he could see the tech behind the coloured glass. The scar was fresher near the socket, where Rey’s saber had burned through, but it wouldn’t take long to heal with all the state of the art supplies the Order had.

“I... will have to get used to that,” Finn answered honestly. “How is it?”

“Stings a little and it gave me a headache. I’m not used to it but Hux assured me it will pass soon. I certainly see clearer.”

“I’m sure. Just don’t lose the other one. I prefer the brown.”

Kylo hummed and glanced around the hall, and then back to Finn’s clothes. “Trouble with the sprinklers?”

“It did blow up.”

“Up for a fight with me? It’s been a while since I’ve duelled with you properly.”

Finn wasn’t that tired but he hesitated. “I’ll make you a deal.”

Kylo frowned. “A deal? What for?”

“I want answers, Kylo. I’ll duel with you and in exchange, you tell me exactly what happened with Rey.”

The  Sith’s gaze turned to ice. “What’s there to know? She tried to kill me.”

“Funny. She said the same about you.” Finn was starting to feel the urge to fight after all. He’d kept it locked down when  Kylo had been unresponsive but now, he was awake and he’d answer Finn’s questions one way or another.

“The Jedi is a liar.”

“Something else you seem to have in common.”

Kylo faced him fully, his face void of any amusement or teasing. Finn was crossing a line. “Watch your tone.”

“Tell me the truth.”

“What do you hope to gain from it? Would you like a reason to side with her against me? Turn on me like everyone else?” 

Finn shook his head. “I just want to know what happened.”

Kylo closed the space between them and Finn could tell he was trying to control his anger. The Dark Side was near erratic around him. 

“She lied to me, turned against me.”

“Perhaps you should replace your real eye.” That confused the Sith, and Finn raised his chin as he added, “I can see you’re lying to me. I know you. You know yourself that it’s a lie.”

Kylo’s hand suddenly reached out and somewhere behind Finn, a droid left in its charging station crumbled like paper. The metal screeched and scraped noisily, its innards sparking under the pressure. Finn was so very afraid but that didn’t stop him from taking a step closer, their chests almost touching. He did not appreciate being threatened.

“Are you going to hurt me too,  Kylo ? You  gonna crush me to pieces? Like you did to Ushar? Huh?”

“No. Never.”

Finn didn’t know what took hold of him then, but he placed his hands flat on the Sith’s chest and shoved him backwards.

“Then what are you trying to do? Scare me into silence? You think I’m going to stand here and submit to you, and swallow those lies- how fucking stupid do you think I am? You made me, turned me into the man I am now, and you think that’s all going to go away because you’re angry and tough? Tell me the truth!”

“It won’t matter.”

“That’s for me to decide. You want to fight?” Finn reached for his  saber , igniting it before he knew what he was doing. “We can fight, and you will tell me the truth.”

“Finn, stop.”

“You lied to me! You said it was Snoke.”

Kylo took a couple steps back. He didn’t want any of this. “I wasn’t aware you cared about her so much.”

“I don’t. I care that you lied to my face. I care that you refuse to tell me what happened. I care because you are my  _ best _ _ friend _ and I don’t know if I can trust anything you say to me. You killed  Ushar without a thought, so it’s not hard to believe you tried it on Rey as well.”

“I was protecting you from him.”

“And just who were you protecting from Rey?”

“I- I... They were all against me, Finn! They all came to kill me. Skywalker would rather have me dead than let me just exist. I showed you the truth.”

“This isn’t about him. I want to know what happened with Rey. You didn’t show me that part. Kylo, either you tell me or I’ll rip from your mind. I’ve done it before. Ask Phasma.”

Kylo took his  saber in hand. “Don’t make do this, Finn.”

“I just want the truth. Please,  Kylo .”

The  Sith took another step back and Finn quickly closed the gap again. The heat from his apprentice’s  saber caused the lingering water on the floor to hiss and steam up.  Kylo was up against the wall now, and Finn knew if the  Sith wanted to kill him- he'd be dead already. Cornering him was not ensuring victory.  Kylo could easily ignite his  saber and run Finn through, but he didn’t. It stayed turned off at his side.

Kylo met his desperate gaze with little emotion. Finn would not get any answers and despite his threat, he’d never search through the  Sith’s mind. He turned off his  lightsaber and holstered it at his thigh. He then took a step back, and then another, until he lost the fight in him completely.

“I’ll tell you the same thing I told her,” Finn said with a small voice. “I won’t allow either of you to harm each other. Keep your damn secrets if you want, but I  _ know _ you’re lying to me. When you’ve worked up the courage to tell me the truth, come find me.”

Finn had to get out of there. He couldn’t stand it any longer.

He went to his temporary room to change but then he was walking. Finn did not know Coruscant. He couldn’t tell what lay in what direction so he just chose to walk south and marched past the guards and armoured vehicles, right until he was out of the Senate district. His plan was not to escape Ren but to find somewhere away from the  Sith’s reach, where he could think in peace and try to figure out his next move.

When the housing towers turned into commercial buildings, Finn thought he was far enough. The First Order’s influence was everywhere but it did not bother him in the slightest. He couldn’t sense the  Sith nearby and that was all he needed. Finn thought he was safe.

Until his arm was grabbed in the crowd and he was yanked into an alleyway.

“I never thought I’d see you again,” Poe greeted with the warmest smile. Finn did not budge even when Poe pulled more. 

“Finn, come on. It’s me, buddy. I have a transport not far. Rey’s with me.”

Poe’s warm hand laced their fingers together and this time, Finn allowed himself to be pulled along. 


	15. Chapter 15

** Chapter 15 **

“We’re going to catch up, right?” Poe asked when they were away from the crowds and heading towards the sub-levels. “I’ve missed you so much, buddy. I was certain you were a goner.”

“I thought you were as well,” Finn admitted. “What are you even doing here?”

“Chances are  D’Qar’s location is blown so Leia’s asked me to find somewhere else. The Order would never look for us here. It’s genius, right? What are they going to do, search every single level? There’s a trillion people living here. They’ll never find us.”

He was right. There were more people here than stormtroopers in the entire galaxy. If they decided to band together and fight back, the First Order would fall within days. Hux was essentially sitting on a live bomb, and the Resistance could ignite it at any moment.

“Smart thinking. Your idea?”

Poe shook his head. “Ah, no. Sadly. Can’t claim all the glory. It’s my fault we’re abandoning the base. I made some poor judgements.”

The sunlight began to disappear beneath the structures and bridges connecting blocks of homes and markets. It was noisier down here, the air filled with merchants yelling out their deals of the day and engines rumbling past.  Poe was taking him towards a warehouse. They snuck in through a side door that creaked when it closed behind them. Stacks upon stacks of crates and boxes were sat waiting to be delivered across the city. The few droids clanking around paid them no attention.

“It’s just through here.”

“This is your new base?” The Resistance could not be picky but still, Finn couldn’t see much use in a few rooms and narrow corridors. “Might need a clean.”

Poe chuckled. “No, no, Rey and I just needed a place to meet back up. There were a few locations we could find that seemed decent. There’s not many of us left these days, not after Starkiller. And with Ren on a rampage, there’s less and less every day. Means we don’t need much space and we can hide easier. If you can call that an advantage.”

Finn slowed his walk and came to a stop. Poe ended up walking a couple steps ahead before he turned in surprise.

“You don’t think,” Finn began cautiously, “that maybe it would be smarter to just... disband?”

Poe shrugged. “We already did that, somewhat. Split off the main leaders across the galaxy, let them fight for their home planets. Admiral  Ackbar had to retreat back to Mon Calamari after Naboo fell. We’ll get it back someday. I’m sure of it.”

Finn shifted his weight from one foot to the other and placed his hands on his hips. The floor felt far more welcoming than Poe’s hopeful smile. 

“No, I meant- Is it even worth fighting at this point?” He glanced up just in time to see the smile drop like lead. “The Order’s won and really, how bad is it? Have you actually seen things get worse than they already were with the New Republic?”

Poe scoffed and clicked his tongue. His arms crossed defensively over his chest. “How bad is it? Why don’t you ask the people of  Mandalore how bad it is? They’ve been at war since Coruscant fell. Tens of thousands died to protect their planet, and more are joining the mass graves every day. You tell me if that’s worse.”

“Maybe they shouldn’t be fighting back.”

“And let the First Order take over completely? Rule their every move and decision?”

Finn crossed his arms too. “Yes.”

“Whoa. Okay.” Poe took a step back. “So, while I’ve been risking my life fighting the First Order, you became their poster boy. Does the Supreme Leader know that you’re doing his job for him? You should be getting paid. Hell, I’ll get you a crate and an amplifier and you can shout about how great our overlords are!”

“I just think they’re not as bad as the Resistance believes. If everyone stopped fighting, it would be peaceful again. They’re getting rid of crime syndicates, providing jobs-”

“Oh, like your job? The one where you had to go and raid a village of innocent people because you had no choice? The one you were so desperate to run away from because you were certain they’d kill you for disobeying?” Poe closed the space between them rapidly. “I don’t know what you’ve been doing, Finn, but whatever it is- that ends now. You’re coming home to the Resistance, to me.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No,” Finn confirmed solemnly. “I’m not going back. I have a home. I have a family.”

Poe felt sick. “The First Order is not your family.”

“No, they’re not, but the Knights of Ren are.  Kylo is my family.”

“Kylo? That Sith-spawn really did get his hands on you.”

“He’s my master. He’s all I  have and I won’t give that up. Not to help the Resistance continue this war. You know deep down, Leia has no chance of beating us.”

“So it’s  _ us _ , now? You’ve gone full-circle. You’re on their side.”

Finn swallowed thickly. There was a pit in his stomach now, where his heart had fallen through. He felt an actual nauseous ache there and his throat tightened. 

“I didn’t want this to happen, Poe. I... I knew we’d end up like this. I know you won’t understand but what I’m doing is  _ helping _ people.”

“Finn, tell me the truth. Were you on Naboo? I saw the footage, I saw the Knights and Ren. Were you really there?” Finn would never forget that place. He nodded stiffly. “You killed our Resistance group there.”

“They were killing troopers and bombing civilian areas.”

Poe gritted his teeth, unblinking as he strained closer. “They were defending their home!”

“If we hadn’t stopped the riots, there wouldn’t be a home left!”

Finn didn’t dodge the punch in time. Poe’s  fist met his cheek so hard his head cracked to the side and the  Sith apprentice stumbled back in shock. Cradling his sore face, Finn looked up with wide eyes. Poe was staring between his aching hand and Finn, unable to compute what he’d done. They’d both gone and burned down every bridge between them.

“Good to know Ren has another puppet,” Poe spit,  simmering with rage. “I thought we were friends, that I could trust you. Now, I know that if you leave here, you’ll go and kill more rebels just like you were conditioned to.”

Finn rubbed his cheek and straightened his back. “It’s not conditioning, Poe. I want this war to end just like you do. I don’t want people to die, but the longer you and your Resistance continue to fight- the more will die from the consequences of that decision.”

“I refuse to live in a world dominated by a heartless army.” 

“And what can your Resistance do for the galaxy? You don’t have any money or fighters, you’d be left with chaos with no way of controlling it. The Galactic and the New Republic were corrupt. You can fight the truth all you like but all you’ll do is get more people killed. I killed one person on Naboo. One. Because they would’ve harmed my master. It wasn’t needless violence. We were there to stop the riots and return Naboo to its peaceful setting, and we did that.” 

Poe scoffed and shook his head. “Was peace offered to Hosnian?”

“The New Republic had to go,” Finn answered simply, as if trillions of lives lost could be explained with a shrug.

“You’re so far gone nothing I say will make you see the truth,” Poe realised. “You say you want peace and yet, you’re supporting a government that will kill anyone in their way. Don’t you see they won’t stop? There won’t ever be peace, Finn. Not under their rule.”

“You’re wrong. I’ll prove you wrong.”

“No, you won’t.” Poe reached for his blaster and pulled free from its holster. “If I let you walk out of here, you’ll go back to Ren and tell him about us, and then he’ll send you to oppress another planet. Or send you to kill me.” He aimed the blaster at Finn’s chest. “So I won’t give you the chance to do any of that.”

Finn stared at the barrel. He could deflect the shot but he couldn’t stand the way Poe looked at him, like  _ he _ was the monster. 

“You’d really shoot me because we disagree?”

“I’d shoot you because it would mean one less  Sith to worry about.”

Finn extended out his arms and Poe flinched, expecting him to grab his  lightsaber . Arms open, Finn wasn’t defending himself. He was inviting Poe to shoot him. Poe had never truly gone up against a Force user- Rey messed around but she’d never fought him. His chances of survival were slim to none but that didn’t make him lower the blaster.

He lowered it because Finn, despite his reconditioning, was still his best friend under all the confliction and false righteousness. Not every bridge was burned.

“I still have hope you’ll come to your senses, Finn. I know you, I know you’re not this  _ thing _ Ren’s created.”

Finn brought his arms back down. “People change, Poe. I want the best for the people of this galaxy.” 

“So do I.” Poe glanced back behind him, where Rey was standing quietly observing. She’d been ready to step in if needed. He looked to Finn. “I hope this is the last time we see each other. I thought you’d come home and we could be together properly, but I suppose that’s nothing but a distant dream now. If we meet as opposites on the battlefield, I won’t hesitate to put you down.”

He holstered the blaster and turned his back on Finn. He couldn’t look at Rey when he passed  her or cast one last glance at Finn. Poe had held out for nothing.

“You realise you’ve made yourself a target?” Rey asked Finn as she took in his appearance. The  Sith’s posture sagged under the weight of his actions but his eyes were convinced it had been the right move, no matter the pain crushing his heart. “The Resistance will turn against you.”

“Let them. You wanted to know where I stand, this is it.”

She tilted her head slowly. “And Kylo? Has he given you everything you ever wanted? Have all your questions been answered?”

“No. He refused to tell me the truth.”

She came closer but kept a safe distance. “And he never will. Just like Poe, you’re holding out for someone you don’t know the first thing about. You can never trust him, Finn. He’ll only ever tell you what you want to hear and he’ll make it sound sweet and perfect, and you’ll be caught in his web.”

Finn shook his head. “I trust him, Rey.”

“Do you? Beyond saving your life in combat, do you really trust him? You trust every single word he says?” When he didn’t answer immediately, Rey knew an honest one would never come. “Want my advice? Run. Fast as you can. Don’t look back, find yourself a nice world and don’t get involved. Let me deal with Kylo.”

“That’s exactly the reason I can’t run, and I wouldn’t. Not now. I’ve found my purpose. I know what I have to do.”

“Then live with the choices you’ve made. Today, especially. There’s no going back on what you’ve done now. Any loyalty, any chances we would’ve given you, our protection- you've thrown it away. Nothing short of killing  Kylo yourself will makes us help you.” 

“I don’t need your protection or your help. I have the whole First Order at my fingertips.”

Rey smiled sadly and Finn couldn’t understand why. He was more powerful than her, capable of accomplishing things the Resistance had not managed to achieve in decades.

“Is that so? You don’t think for one second that they could turn on you at any moment if you stepped out of line? It doesn’t need to be the whole First Order. It can just be  Kylo , and he will rip you apart if he believes you’re against him. If you’re stupid enough to play with fire like that, I won’t be surprised when you’re burned alive. You don’t realise just how dangerous this path you’re walking is and I pity you for that.”

Finn rolled his shoulders. “I don’t want your pity, either. We’re done here. I did what I came to do.”

He moved to leave but Rey reached for her saber.

“If you’re planning to fight me, I suggest you don’t,” he warned icily. “Save your strength for when the Order storms this place. But if you do, you’d only slip further towards the Dark Side.”

“I thought you couldn’t turn against me,” she countered. 

“I said I wouldn’t kill you. Nothing stops me from throwing you in prison along with all the other rebels.”

“It’s funny you think they’d let us live just because you’ve got attachment issues, Finn. The prisons here have been  empty for some time. But that’s not something  Kylo would tell you. I wonder just how much he keeps from you.”

Finn bristled. “Maybe you’re right. Perhaps I ought to bring you straight to him, and then we’ll truly bring you to the Dark Side. You’d be free of all of this. No more hiding or running away, no more looking back over your shoulder.”

“If I had to choose between your glorious empire and this, I’d sleep every night in the dirt.”

“Suit yourself. There’s a place for you if you change your mind and realise the futility of this rebellion.”

Rey raised her chin. “I’d sooner die than join you and  Kylo . Go. Get out.”

Finn didn’t need to be told twice. If he could be spared fighting the Jedi, he’d take the chance. There was no doubt in his abilities but capturing Rey was more difficult than outright killing her. She’d put up a real fight and draw Poe back out, and then Finn would struggle to keep them both pacified without harm.

He felt her eyes on him as he left, taking the same route he’d used to come in. The streets felt narrower, louder. He needed to head back to the surface.

* * *

Finn was dreaming. For once, it was a mundane dream and not him reliving his battles only to wake up drenched in sweat. It was a relief.

He was wandering out to the garden with the pond and sitting on the edge by the water. It was late, the night sky was obscured with thick clouds and the late-night traffic was a deep buzz in the background. He couldn’t see the stars above, so he stared at the dark shapes moving in the water.  Sometimes the fish would come up for air and for  a brief moment , Finn caught a whisker or a flick of a long tail that followed a burst of bubbles. He dipped a finger in the water and felt scales swim by, before the fish grew scared and fled to the other side of the pond.

A hand joined his own in the water, startling the  Sith apprentice. It wasn’t entirely there, almost like a hologram without the shimmer. Finn turned towards the young man sat beside him calmly. He hadn’t heard or felt him approach. It was as if he’d suddenly appeared. When Finn reached out with the Force, he sensed a powerful presence coming from the man.

He was perhaps a few years younger than Finn, with brown hair that reached his shoulders and a scar that cut through his right eyebrow. His clothes were odd, similar to Luke’s robes but shorter and darker.

“I was trying to find a good moment for us to speak,” the man said after a moment of silence. His fingers were still moving in the water, causing little ripples along the surface. The fish were returning. “You seem to always be so busy and surrounded by people. You never sleep for long, either.”

“Right...” Finn frowned. “Who are you, exactly? How do you know me?”

“I’ve been keeping an eye on you since Mustafar, but I sensed you before through the Force. I got curious. After the day you’ve had, I knew I had to meet you properly.”

“It’s not actually a proper meeting, considering I’m dreaming.”

The man chuckled and glanced up. He had a warm expression. “Your master hasn’t taught you much about life beyond death, it seems. I assure you, Finn, I’m quite real and this is as physical as I can make my form to you. Sadly, you’re unreachable when awake.” 

He pulled his fingers back from the water and rested it on Finn’s hand. They weren’t wet at all. In fact, it wasn’t entirely a physical touch.

“You’re dead,” Finn blurted out.

“Yes. And like every ghost to ever bother some poor person, I came with advice. You’re rather noisy across the Force. The dead can tell how much uncertainty lies within you, and I offered to help. Well,” the man corrected with a cheeky grin, “It was thoroughly  _ suggested _ that I help. My old master can be very convincing at times.”

“Good to know even ghosts are fed up with me.”

“No one’s fed up. Once you pass away, emotions are rarely a concern. What is a concern is the balance of the Force and it is tipping. There’s something out there growing more powerful with each day that passes.”

“You mean Kylo?”

The man shook his head. “No, not him. Well, he is growing stronger but he is not a threat to the balance. My grandson is just as uncertain as you are, though he tries to hide it from the world.”

Finn blinked. “Your what-now?  Kylo is... Oh, no. You’re Vader. Fuck me, I did not realise-”

“I prefer Anakin, if you don’t mind. Vader is my past. I prefer to keep him there where he belongs.”

Leaning forward, Finn cast a hand behind him towards the executive building. “Do you have any idea how much he’s been trying to talk with you? I’m  pretty certain he tries every single day. Go talk to  _ him _ , not me. He needs a ghostly intervention more than I do.”

Anakin raised his hands to calm the  Sith down. “For now, you are my concern, Finn. The Force has its own destiny for you, your own path you must walk, and I need to bring you where you must be.”

“Where’s that?”

“This power I mentioned; you will need to be ready for it. An inheritance, so to speak. For that, you’ll need the knowledge of the Jedi and the  Sith . You need to further your strength.” Anakin turned towards the city and pointed towards an ancient temple towering in the distance. “You must go there.”

“What about Kylo?”

“He has his own path. This is yours.”

“And what if I don’t go?” Finn could not fathom turning his back on Kylo. “I have a purpose here. I know what I have to do.”

“Then all of this,” Anakin gestured around him, “why you strive for, what you and your master envision for this world; none of it will happen. The galaxy will fall into the Resistance’s hands again, and you will be powerless to stop them. The Force has far more to offer than what you have experienced. Even  Kylo has not truly begun to scratch the surface of its capabilities, but others  have and they will use it against you. You  _ know _ you must go.”

“Will he be alright without me?”

Anakin smiled softly. Finn saw a vague resemblance between him and his master, a gentleness to their eyes- though  Kylo rarely allowed it to show.

“He’ll make it through.”

“Will I be able to talk with you again? If I need to?”

“I’m always around, Finn.” Anakin chuckled. “I’ve got nothing better to do with my time. Now, be on your way when you wake, Finn.”

The temple was  far but he could handle the trip. Finn wasn’t sure how  Kylo would deal with his absence, but he felt like he could trust Anakin. It felt right in his heart.

Deep in the Unknown Region, on a planet plagued by intense storms, the Knights had gathered in an old temple. Lit only by bright flashes of lightning and the green glow of tanks brimming with Nightsister ichor, it was hard to peer into the shadows that surrounded the great chamber. Set along the path were statues of ancient Sith lords and ladies, their stone gaze peering down coldly as Vicrul led his Knights towards a throne. 

On either side were machines and tubes, pumping the strange green substance. He watched it move almost like smoke through the tubes and up beneath the robes of his true master. Once he reached the foot of the throne, he knelt down and bowed his head.

“The apprentice is conflicted,”  Vicrul began, “His grasp slips whenever Ren falters. I’ve tried to push them both but Kenobi survived. She’s stronger than anticipated. She’s begun to tear apart our work and the boy refuses to raise a hand against her. Ren is weak without a firm hand.”

Beneath the shadow of the hooded cloak, his master sneered. Two yellow eyes glared from the darkness and  Vicrul caught sight of his master’s deep frown.

“What of Ren?” The  Sith croaked.

“He’s set on revenge. Shall we focus him on annihilating the Jedi at last?”

“No. The girl is too useful. Let Ren push her closer to the edge, then-” His master wheezed and shuddered as he coughed. “-Bring the girl to me. She’s been alone without my guidance for too long.” 

Vicrul nodded obediently. “And the boy? He’s strong with the Force and Ren has grown attached. Together, they have the potential to be unbeatable.”

“I have already set the apprentice on his path. Concern yourself with Ren, that child is unpredictable despite our attempts to leash his power. He set us back with Snoke. If he kills the girl, I will have less options.”

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t stray too far, master.”

“Good.”

Vicrul bowed deeply and retreated, his Knights turning to follow him. As he turned his back, his master stopped him in his tracks. His body refused to move forward like it was frozen.

“There were six of you,” the  Sith Lord noted.

“Ren killed Ushar. He stood no chance, master. Ren’s emotions got the better of him. It seems he loses all his senses when his apprentice is threatened.” 

The  Sith hummed in thought. “See to it that none of your Knights stand in Ren’s way again.” 

“Yes, master.”

Vicrul regained control of his body, a shiver ran down his spine as he walked away from the Sith. The Knights were silent behind him as they made their way out of the temple, and left  Exegol behind.

As lightning arched across the dark clouds,  Vicrul saw enormous shadows on the ground far below the temple. As he glanced down the steep slopes of the mountain into the distance, the light reflected off the metallic surface of a black and red Star Destroyer.


	16. Chapter 16

** Chapter 16 **

Perhaps it had been Ren’s anger that had driven his apprentice away, or perhaps his lack of co-operation. The exact cause did not matter. The result was the same: Finn was gone. His belongings were taken and the young  Sith had been seen leaving the senatorial district, until his trace was lost between the many levels and buildings. 

The heat of his  saber had already destroyed most of his chamber. The walls were scorched with long burning lines, and anyone nearby had evacuated the area quickly in fear of being the next target of the  Sith Lord’s rage. This time, not even Hux dared to approach. He preferred to keep his head attached. Ren tore through another panel and marched away, seeking something else to burn. His path took him straight down to the landing hangars. It was easy to get lost in the maze of corridors. He stopped to stare at the  Upsilon . 

Finn had not escaped off-world. Ren could vaguely sense his presence in the Force but it could take weeks,  _ months _ , to narrow it down through the five-thousand levels of Coruscant. If he left for the stars, it would be easier, but Finn could not fly. With almost every planet was under the First Order’s rule, he’d be spotted within seconds of landing. Ren almost wished he’d taught him. 

He turned to watch the  _ Revenant _ enter the hangar and fold its wings upwards elegantly. Many times he’d offered his Knight a new ship but  Vicrul was tied to that old  junker , and parting him from it was impossible.  Vicrul jogged over and pulled off his helmet, inclining his head respectfully. 

“Anything?”  Kylo asked, though he was prepared for his Knight to shake his head.

“Nothing solid yet, boss. Maybe he’s just blowing off steam. Cardo runs off all the time-”

“Finn is not the sorts to run away and abandon everything. I’m certain he didn’t just walk away because he felt like it. Keep looking.”

Vicrul sighed and tucked his helmet under his arm, reaching up with a gloved hand as if he wanted to place it on  Kylo’s shoulder. He worked up the nerve to do so and crowded closer to the  Sith Lord.

“Look. Maybe he didn’t go as willingly as the footage made it look. When I found you on  Mustafar , he wasn’t  himself. Maybe that Jedi girl had something to do with it.”

Kylo blinked and looked down at his most loyal Knight. “You think she could be involved?”

“Why wouldn’t she be? We both know that kid would die for you and all of a sudden he walks away? You don’t know what she could’ve told him. It’s possible she thinks she can turn him against you, but how can she do that when he’s at your side? Easy, separate you both and she’s got everything she wants. You’re out in the open and Finn’s all hers to manipulate. He knew her before, perhaps she’ll try to drag him back to the Resistance.”

“All she needs is that damn pilot.”

“And you know he’ll be right there at the heart of the Resistance.”  Vicrul reached up further and cradled  Kylo’s injured cheek, angling his face so he couldn’t look away. “Why don’t we go rebel hunting?”

Kylo pulled his face away roughly. “I have other plans. Gather the others. I have a task for you.”

Vicrul’s hand dropped to his side as he bowed his head, and headed back to the  _ Revenant _ to contact the scattered Knights. He’d hope to draw Kylo towards the Resistance but his master was distracted. He’d need to be brought to line soon.

* * *

The fortress was still standing and Kylo was pleased to see no one else had been interested in breaking inside. The gates had locked back up, denying anyone other than a Skywalker. With five ships parked on the landing bay, Kylo might have enough cargo space to empty out the troves of Sith history held within the walls. He walked past the gates without a second glance towards his Knights. He could sense  Vicrul right behind him, clinging like a shadow, but he soon lost him to the distraction of the weapon’s hall. The others had their jobs to do so  Kylo left them to carry on exploring the depth of the fortress.

Although the darkness deeper down was crushing,  Kylo could see perfectly fine with his new augmentation. The only light in the blackened corridor came from his glowing red eye and the blade of his fiery  saber . He’d started to head this way last time but had been engrossed by Lord Vader’s personal chambers. 

The hall gave way to a staircase that seemed to span forever downwards. The air began to grow hotter the longer he walked, closer to the rivers of lava that surrounded the fortress, until he reached a room at the end of the stairs that was frigid. Like a shield of ice was preventing the planet’s heat to come through. It was protecting something.

Kylo could not see anyone around but he felt a presence lingering within the large room. Unlike the chambers above, there were no  artifacts of great value or power here. Extending his  saber out into the darkness, the light was reflected off a chromium surface. 

He stalked forward and more chromium shone back, glistening and clean in a way that nothing else in the fortress was. As if it had been  meticulously cared for in the dark. When he reached it,  Kylo recognised what he was looking at.

A Nubian  starship . 

Its long hull speared forward, as if the ship was ready to be used at any moment. Like it was waiting for its owner to come home, but that would never happen.  Kylo had seen similar ships on Naboo but this was not a random one plucked from the palace. It belonged to his grandmother. 

The ship was utterly stunning to behold up close, shining so brightly as if the light came from within the chromium itself. It reflected the glow of his  saber in a way that painted the  starship a bright crimson.  Kylo reached out with his bare hand to touch the surface.

“Don’t,” a man called out from the darkness.

Kylo startled and pulled back, holding his  saber out for a fight. Despite his mechanical eye searching the room,  Kylo saw no one. Perhaps he was being watched through the Force.

“Show yourself,” the  Sith called out, pressing his back to the ship and scanning the area before him. 

“I haven’t shown myself to anyone in decades,” the man answered, his voice seemingly coming from every direction. “I don’t know how you got in again but you should not be here. I know you stole from me.”

“Stole?”  Kylo scoffed. “I have every right to be here. All of this belongs to me. It’s my  birthright .”

“My son and my daughter have long since forgotten about me. You are neither, so you don’t belong. Leave, while I still allow it.”

Kylo kept his blade up, using it to draw a line across the air. “My mother is Leia Organa, daughter to the greatest  Sith who ever lived: my grandfather, Lord Vader. I have no intention of leaving here empty-handed.”

His  saber’s activator turned off, leaving him in complete darkness. When his thumb slid over the switch, it refused to ignite. 

“You think taking my weapon will render me useless? I don’t need a  lightsaber to kill you.”  Kylo searched the room again. “Or perhaps you’re already dead.”

“Leave. Or I will bury you beneath this fortress along with your friends. Do you have any idea how many have come to this place? Their remains have long since disappeared. If you don’t want to die alone in the dark, leave now. I have no interest in visitors or thieves.”

“It’s not stealing if it belongs to me!” Enraged by the man’s bothersome attitude, Kylo sent his power rippling through the room. “You’re wasting my time.”

He felt something through the Force, like his waves had struck an object. Not a living, breathing person but the remains of one’s life-force lingering in the fortress.  Kylo had not hurt them- it was impossible to harm the dead- but he’d certainly caused them to re-evaluate. His  saber reignited with a spark and within the circle of light,  Kylo found himself looking at a young man his height. His robes were dark and his brown hair curled down to his shoulders. His expression was sour to begin with but mellowed the longer he observed Kylo.

“Leia had a son,” he said softly. “My little girl had a son.”

Kylo stiffened. Unaware of the  Sith’s turmoil, the Force-ghost approached and reached out to close his hand over  Kylo’s , so he could angle the  saber towards the ground. His touch was strange. Physical but not completely, like it was a gust of air across  Kylo’s skin. It held no warmth or cold.

“I remember she told me once. Spoke out to the Force about you. Forgive me, I’ve been here so long my sense of time isn’t what it used to be. I wasn’t sure you were still alive, I could never find you when I looked.” 

“Grandfather?”  Kylo croaked past a lump in his throat. “We spoke so often. Why don’t you remember me?”

Anakin frowned and tilted his head. “I haven’t spoken to you since you were a baby. I doubt you’d remember that.”

Kylo stumbled back against the ship and dropped his  saber . It should’ve switched off but Anakin kept the activator on, so the  Sith wasn’t completely lost in the darkness. 

“It was Ben, wasn’t it? That was the name Leia chose for you, after my best friend. It was his nickname from time to time.”

“Whose nickname?”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi. He’s far away now, we haven’t spoken for a while. He has someone to guard over. I remember Leia named you after him.”

At first,  Kylo chuckled, and then his breath hitched and he slid down to the floor in shock. 

“You don’t know  _ me _ ,” he stammered, bringing his knees up to his chest as he wrapped his arms tightly around himself. Anakin’s frown deepened with worry and he sank down gracefully to sit in front of the  Sith . “You’ve never spoken to me. You weren’t the one talking to me.”

“Ben, I don’t understand-”

The  Sith glared back. “It’s Kylo. My name is Kylo, not Ben. You’d know that if it was really you. He tricked me. All this time, he lied to me.” Burying his face into his knees, Kylo’s body heaved as he barely held back his sobs. “Of course I couldn’t reach you, you were never there to begin with. It was always him.”

“Who?”

“Snoke! That lying snake! Every time I wanted to speak with you, ask you for advice- it was him, always cutting me off from the Force, pretending to be you.”

Anakin sighed softly as he began to put the pieces together. He shuffled to sit beside his grandson, slowly returning to himself. Staying down here in the dark, protecting the only thing that belonged to his late wife- it separated Anakin from his true self. He had been alone for so long, forgetting things, like he was in a dream, but it was coming back. 

“The Dark Side is cruel, it makes awful people even more evil. I’m sorry you were lied to. I wish I could tell you I was there, but I’ve been here for decades. Guarding this place. It took a long time to ward away any trespassers. I suppose it wasn’t entirely perfect if it let you and the others through. Forgive me for reacting so angrily. This Snoke- I've never heard of him- is he gone?”

“He was my master. I killed him.” Anakin nodded to himself. “But there’s someone else. A Jedi. She wants me dead.” 

Kylo glanced up to his grandfather. His eye was red-rimmed but he’d refused to shed tears and appear  weaker than he already did. This was not how he’d envisioned this meeting but he was here, at last. In front of the only person Kylo had ever looked up to.

“You were the greatest  Sith to live. The most feared and respected. Teach me. I want to be just like you.”

Anakin’s jaw clenched and his head moved subtly from side to side. “My past was filled with blood and I can never undo the harm I caused. You don’t want that.”

“I’m not afraid to kill. I have laid siege to planets, I control the galaxy with a loyal army. I have passed every single trial ever set in front of me.”  Kylo gestured to his eye. “This was burned right out of my skull and I survived. I refused to die. Please, Lord Vader, I want to be your equal.”

Anakin tensed. “It sounds like you’ve already made yourself as powerful as I was.”

“I’m not. I know I’m not. I’ve achieved power and strength out there but not in here.” His hand splayed over his heart. “I still feel. My emotions continue to control me and I don’t know how to stop them. I want to be stronger than my doubts and my fears, I want to crush them to nothing. I need the strength to kill my past. Permanently. I want the galaxy to see me for who I am, what I’m capable of. Everyone doubts me, they think I’m some lost child. I want that to end. No one ever doubted you, Lord Vader. They feared the very ground you stood on.”

Anakin placed his hand over  Kylo’s , right over his frantically beating heart. 

“You can never kill what is in here, Kylo. Your emotions will always exist no matter how far down you bury them. Fear is... a quick motivator but in the end, a scared animal will attack.”

“No one ever dared to attack you.”

“They did.”

“But you killed them for it.”

“I killed everyone, Kylo. I was completely alone, but that was my burden to bear. You’re young, strong- don't throw yourself further into the Dark Side. You will only end up hurt. Come back towards the light, find the balance in the Force and in yourself.”

Kylo’s hand dropped and with it, Anakin’s. “Come back to the light? To the Jedi?”

“The darkness will not offer you what you seek, Kylo. You should pull back, while you still have that choice. Trust me, it will be taken from you. You are a target, whether you know it or not. Your power will draw others to you and they will want it for themselves. Every Skywalker draws attention to themselves. You’re no different.”

“This is your advice? The Jedi want me dead and you suggest I go to them? For what? They have nothing to offer me. You want me to give up everything I worked for, bled for?”  Kylo stood up abruptly. “If that was my goal, I would’ve let my master crush me. I thought you would help me.”

Anakin rose to his feet. “I am helping you.”

“No. You’re not.”  Kylo jabbed a finger in Anakin’s direction. “Lord Vader would never tell anyone to return to the light. He would’ve fought by my side and helped me bring my enemies to the ground. He would’ve taught me everything he knew.”

“I died doing what was right; protecting my family. The man you admire was a puppet. If that’s who you came to see, I’m sorry to disappoint but he is long gone. I will not fight your battles or help you dig yourself a deeper grave.” He took a step back. “I’m not Vader anymore. I’m Anakin Skywalker.”

Kylo closed the gap between them. “You’re nothing.”

Pulling his  lightsaber up from the ground,  Kylo turned his attention towards the ship. The helmet was one thing. This was a real treasure. He made his way towards the ramp access and set it down.

Anakin followed closely. “What are you doing?”

“Taking what’s mine,”  Kylo answered coldly, glancing over his shoulder. “I can feel your power is directed towards the fortress. If you stop, all your wards will come down. So try and stop me.”

“You can’t kill what’s dead, Kylo. You can’t harm me.”

“Maybe not physically.” 

Concentrating his strength,  Kylo let out a blast towards the wall. The metal and stone exploded outwards, sending debris flying down the side of the cliff. The hole was widening as the foundations of the fortress began to crumble. Anakin reached out to keep it stable. It would come down on all of them.

“Kylo, stop this. Please. I know this was not what you wanted to hear but-” His attention slipped for a moment and the ceiling creaked ominously.

“I suggest you save your strength. You wouldn’t want to kill Leia’s only child, would you?”

“Kylo, please.”

The  Sith tuned him out as he climbed onboard the royal  starship . Its controls were old but cared for. The engine purred to life with a few flicked switches. Anakin appeared behind him.

“Do you have any idea what is kept in this fortress? The danger of letting these things escape out into the world? You can’t take them. And I won’t let you take this.”

“Vader could stop me. But not you.”  Kylo finished priming the ship for take-off and sat back in the seat. The leather was soft and buttery, a truly elegant interior for the royal family. “My whole life I looked up to you, wished I had just an ounce of your strength- I suppose I can be grateful you hunted all this down so I don’t have to waste my time.”

“Kylo, I am begging you.” Anakin squeezed between the seats and sat down the co-pilot's seat, as if he still thought his body was physical. “Take whatever you want but leave this. You don’t need it. I don’t  _ want _ you to have it.”

“Looks like we both get to be disappointed today. But you have proved something; the past should stay dead. Idolatry has gotten me nowhere in the end. I now know I can only rely on myself.” 

The ship lifted off the ground and  Kylo pulled the landing gear up.

“Maybe you were right,” he added after a moment. “Maybe I am as powerful as you are. After all, you can’t stop me. You would have if you could. Giving up Vader was the worst decision you could’ve made. I won’t be so foolish.”

“If you do this, you’re on your own, Kylo.”

“I’ve always been on my own.”

Launching up towards the hole he’d torn through the wall,  Kylo flew the  starship out of the fortress. When Anakin did not budge from his side,  Kylo crumpled the inner supports of the structure and his grandfather blinked away to save what remained. He wasn’t fast enough. The fortress began to crack and break under its own weight, sliding further down the cliff as huge chunks of  duracrete fell into the rivers of lava below. The debris hissed and popped as it disintegrated.

Kylo flew back up to the landing platform, where the ships were being loaded up with cargo. He landed and checked on what had been found. From the looks of it, his Knights had cleared out almost everything worth grabbing: weapons, data files, maps, schematics for ships. 

Trudgen startled when more of the fortress sank down the edge of the cliff with a deafening screech of torn metal. Even  Kuruk , who was not easily frightened, eyed the structure with unease. They all knew who’d done this but no one dared question  Kylo’s decision.

“Do we have everything?”  Kylo asked as  Vicrul emerged from the gates in a rush.

“The rest is useless junk,” the Knight answered as he glanced back the way he came. “The floors are starting to come down. Soon, the whole thing will topple. We should go before it does- what is  _ that _ thing?” He inclined his head towards the Naboo starship. 

“A trophy.”

“Huh. Shiny. Alright, well, unless you want to stick around and see it fall- which would be very entertaining, actually- we should move.”

“Get the ships in the air. I want to bring the place down myself.”

“Okay. Who’s flying what? You’re good but I don’t know if you can fly two ships at once.”

Kylo glanced back at his  Upsilon . “Take mine. I’ll take this one to Coruscant.”

Vicrul chuckled. “Didn’t know you two could be parted. I’ll take good care of her.” He turned to the others. “Alright, hurry up, pack the last things and let’s go!  Ap’Lek , take the  _ Revenant _ . Scratch her and I’ll kill you, and trust me, I know which scratches are already present.”

Ap’Lek flipped him off and boarded the ship. The last of the  artifacts were strapped down securely.  Vicrul took pleasure in handling the  Upsilon , letting the long-winged ship take the lead away from the collapsing fortress and up through the thick cover of ashy clouds. The other ships followed in formation, heading back to  Talok to drop off their newfound treasures.

Kylo stayed behind on the platform, watching the fortress shake and tremble as the supports gave way. Anakin was somewhere inside, struggling to keep it all upright. As  Kylo climbed back onboard Queen Amidala’s  starship and hovered above the landing bay, he reached out with the Force.

The bisected pyramid splintered like a spiderweb and with a yank, the peaks broke inwards, collapsing into each other and crumbling the entire fortress on itself. The black monolith was nothing but a deep crater, its floors broken through and its walls reduced to dust. Urged forward by the Force, the lava that had once circumvented the foundations rose up into the air like a wave crashing over rocks. It pooled down, forming glowing lava falls that set fire to the exposed innards of the fortress. Soon, it would be buried beneath layers of magma and rock, forgotten about as nature reclaimed the stain it had left.

The only thing remaining was the landing platform, upon which Anakin stood. He watched the fortress disappear beneath the red waves as everything he’d tried to keep away from the  Sith vanished out of his reach. When he glanced up towards the clouds, he saw the glinting speck of the  starship before it gone.

* * *

Kylo sat in the cockpit for a long time before he contemplated getting up. He would certainly be diagnosed as set in shock if any of the First Order’s medical team checked on him. It scared  Kylo just how far Snoke had gone to keep him under his thumb. It had all been fake. Every worry he’d spoken out, every fear and complaint- Snoke knew, and his advice had all been lies spoken through the guise of his grandfather.

Anakin didn’t even know his name.

But he didn’t matter now. Nothing about Vader mattered anymore, at least not the man  Kylo had spoken with. He still respected the  Sith Lord for his achievements but now, he was hesitant to think of him. As if the very memory of his grandfather was now tainted by the reality that Anakin was Jedi-loving scum. 

Kylo hoped this would hurt him.

He climbed out just as General Hux stalked towards him apprehensively. Giving him a nod as he walked past, Kylo hoped to simply ignore him. Fate was never that kind.

“I take it you’ve calmed yourself at last?” Hux sneered. “I suppose I should be grateful it was not my apartment you decided to rip apart, but once again, the troops have witnessed that you are uncontrollable. I thought you were over these childish tantrums-” 

Hux suddenly clutched at his throat.

“I’ve had enough of your insolence. You always have something to say against me,”  Kylo said as he turned to face Hux. “You never dared to talk back to Snoke and yet here you are, mouthing off like some brat because you think you’re safe.”

Kylo let him go and the General gulped in air, his face red from the lack of oxygen. He started to move away when a hand grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around. Hux’s fist smashed into his face.  Kylo stepped back in shock and pressed a couple fingers to his sore cheek.

“And you...” The redhead wheezed. “Think you are safe from repercussions because you’re the great and powerful Supreme Leader. You are nothing without me! I am the First Order! Without me, you have no army, you have no title, no claim on this galaxy! I allowed you to live after Starkiller. I had ample chances to kill you, but I am merciful. Do not test me, Ren.”

The  Sith did not care for the General’s need to boast. He returned the punch even harder, forcing Hux to stumble back several steps and clutch at his nose, which began to bleed profusely through his fingers. Hux glared at him venomously.

“You sure you want to fight me, Armitage? Because I promise you, I will not stop until every bone is broken and every organ squirming inside you is ruptured. I don’t need the Force to end you.”

Hux said nothing. He shrugged off his greatcoat and swung his arm out.  Kylo blocked it easily, head-butting the General in his already broken nose. Hux yelled and kicked at  Kylo’s knee, dislocating it beneath the heavy heel of his boot. Startling by the pain,  Kylo cried out as he fell back. Gritting his teeth, he shoved at the bone and forced it back into its socket without so much as a whimper. The popping sound was alarming. Their sudden fight had drawn the attention of the nearby troopers. Those in white pointed at Hux to protect their Supreme Leader. Those in red armour aimed at Kylo for threatening their General. Both men glanced to their respective support.

“Stay out of this,”  Kylo warned, pushing back the troopers with the Force. “This is between me and him. No one else.”

“Agreed. Ren’s mine. Anyone takes a shot, you’ll be thrown into a trash compactor.”

As Hux was distracted with telling his guards to stand down,  Kylo jumped to his feet and tackled him to the ground. A deep and sharp pain ran up  Kylo’s leg as he folded it and straddled the General’s chest. He wasn’t quick enough to pin both of his arms, he only trapped the right bicep beneath his leg. Hux didn’t try to dislodge him like most opponents would, not when  Kylo weighed almost twice as much and it was all pure muscle. Hux threw his free arm out in an arch, like he was trying to punch, but a glint of metal warned Kylo of the incoming blade. 

Leaning back just in time, the concealed knife slit across  Kylo’s upper arm and torso rather than across his throat. Hissing,  Kylo snatched his wrist and tore off the blade from its spring-loaded sheath. He tossed it at the feet of a nervous trooper and for good measure, he twisted Hux’s wrist at an unnatural angle until  it snapped. The General’s scream was sharp and short and his breath came out through his bloodied nose in a desperate attempt to stay quiet.

Deeming the fight to be over,  Kylo shoved at Hux once to keep him down and got up. He stood over the General triumphantly but his success was short-lived when a boot kicked out between his legs.  Kylo stumbled back down with a soundless gasp and Hux took the chance to scramble backwards and kick the  Sith in the face. It gave him enough time to get back to his feet as  Kylo struggled to stand. 

They paced around each other like feral animals. Hux clutched his right wrist as he lodged it back in place. He’d done it a thousand times before but it still hurt. Kylo was just as equally in pain, perhaps more so from the way his legs trembled. Which made it all the more surprising that he broke free of their stalemate first and threw an arm out to pull Hux closer.  Kylo brought his uninjured knee up in a rapid rush between the General’s legs as revenge. The redhead only grunted in discomfort. Kylo frowned and searched for genuine pain in his eyes, but found none.

“Just what do you think that was going to accomplish?” Hux gloated. “I’m not built like you, remember?”

Kylo’s eyes widened but now that he was close again, he couldn’t move back quickly enough. Hux’s knuckles smashed deep into his stomach, winding him. The  Sith staggered back. His body was aching in too many places and Hux wasn’t hurt enough. Screw what he said about not using the Force.  Kylo crushed Hux’s throat.

The General gasped and wheezed, dragging in slips of air, but he was not going to die like this. He refused to. 

Kylo struggled to breathe as well. At first, he believed it was the pain clouding his mind, but a pressure steadied on his chest- like a heavy weight was pushing down against his ribs. He glared at Hux.

“You want... to cheat? Let’s make it... even,” Hux croaked. “How much do you... value your lungs? Or your heart?”

Kylo had felt this level of pain before. He knew the feeling of his ribs bending and threatening to crack, from when Snoke had dropped the wing of a Tie Fighter on Kylo’s chest while he’d been repairing it. But Hux was not just testing the durability of his bones. His very organs were being squeezed.  He let go of the General’s throat when his heart stopped beating. It couldn’t move anymore. The blood in his veins started to pool in his arteries with nowhere to be pumped.

The second air entered Hux’s airways, he also let go. Both men collapsed to the floor, gulping in as much as they could.  Kylo reached for his heart and closed his eyes when he felt it beating once again beneath his fingers.

He vaguely heard the footsteps of the stormtroopers and Hux’s personal guard retreat. Perhaps Hux had said something else to them but his ears were full of static. He felt Hux crawl beside him, both of them on their backs facing the vaulted ceiling. Blindly,  Kylo extended his arm out until he touched Hux’s hand and entwined their fingers together. 

“I was going to kill you,”  Kylo stated breathlessly, squeezing their hands.. “I hate you but... I don’t want you to die.”

“I was going to kill you too,” Hux admitted. “Perhaps we went too far this time.”

“Just a bit.” 

Kylo turned his head to face Hux as the redhead let go of his hand and started fidgeting. He was a bit more clear-headed than Kylo and he had enough strength to sit up and rifle through his greatcoat pockets for a  cigarra that wasn’t entirely filled with just  tabac . 

“Damn it, where’s my lighter?”

“Your vices will put you in an early grave.”

“No, dealing with you will kill me prematurely.” Hux sighed. He’d forgotten it in his office. The urge to smoke was too great to ignore. He glanced at  Kylo’s lightsaber and reached down across his chest to pluck it from his belt. The Sith did not stop him.

“What are you doing?”

“Relax.” Placing the roll-up between his lips, Hux ignited the  saber and used one of the cross-guard blades to light the end of his cigarra. He turned it off when it was lit and handed it back. “See? No harm done.”

“No one has ever misused a saber like that before.”

“Doubtful.” Hux exhaled a long plume of smoke upwards through his nostrils out of habit and hissed. He pressed the back of his hand against his nose and winced. “ Kriffing hell,  Kylo . I have a lunch scheduled for tomorrow with the senator of  Pantora . Now, I look like any other scruff from the Outer Rim with a broken nose. Maker knows what they’ll think of me now.”

“It’s not broken.”

“Feels broken.”

Kylo exhaled loudly and sat up with a grunt. He took one look at Hux and scoffed. “It’s not. You’ll have a bruise but nothing more.” He glanced down at the limp wrist. “Here. Give it to me.”

Hux extended his arm out. “I fixed it already. Just stings.”

His silver blade shot up from the ground and up into  Kylo’s hand. The  Sith carefully reattached it to the sheath and slid the blade back beneath the cover of his sleeve.

“Clever.”

“Be grateful I didn’t get to reach the others.”

Kylo’s eyebrows shot up. “Others?”

“I’m a walking armoury, Ren. You got to see one knife. I have plenty more on my person.” Hux adjusted his sleeve with a grimace and glanced down at  Kylo’s lap, feeling mildly guilty. “Sorry about... you know.”

“I didn’t want children anyways,”  Kylo chuckled as he shifted to sit more comfortably, though that was a task and a half. He tried not to grimace. 

“Me neither.”

“I forgot.” 

Hux shrugged. “I’ll take it as a compliment. I hope you realise I now appear utterly immortal compared to you. The great Supreme Leader falls like a sack of bricks from one kick and I remain standing.”

“Nothing new there.”

Hux joined their hands again. His sore wrist hung limply in his lap, and he’d learned to smoke without the use of his hands. “What happened? Is Finn dead?”

“No. Of course not. I don’t know where he went but I’d know if he got himself killed. No, it’s... family related. Nothing to concern yourself with. I’m alright now. I got it out of my system.”

“I hope so. I can’t repair everything you break, Ren. Especially myself. I’d run out of credits. And if I may remind you that I’m not your personal punching bag? 

“I’m sorry.”

“Hmm. Rare. I’ll take it, as long as it comes with the promise you’ll stop harming me this way. I’m getting fed up of putting ice to my throat. I’m not one of your toys. Hurt me again and I will break more than your pride.” At least,  Kylo had the decency to bow his head with guilt. They both knew he could not promise anything, but just saying it made Armitage feel a bit better. “Anyways, what’s that thing doing here? Did you steal it from the senator of Naboo?”

Kylo shook his head. “Call it inheritance. I need you to do something for me.”

“I’m surprised you still have the balls to ask for a favour.”

The  Sith rolled his eyes. “No need to be so crass. You’ll like this one. A pet project for you to work on for me.” With a deep grunt,  Kylo forced himself to stand up. “Let me fetch it.”

He wandered onboard the  starship and came back with a hologram projector used for architectural and mechanical engineering. He tossed it to Hux, who’d stood up and gathered his greatcoat over his arm.

“Use the ship for this.”

Hux surveyed the plans and when he glanced over at the  starship , he frowned. “It won’t remain in one piece, Ren. The amount I’d have to sal vage-”

“I don’t care. Can you make it?”

Hux deadpanned. “Yes, of course I can. I created all your other ships.”

“Use whatever you need.”

“Alright, give me a week or two to draft and test-run it.” 

Kylo placed his hand on Hux’s shoulder. “We both know you’ll do it all tonight and get zero sleep. You made my eye in a day.”

“True.”

Kylo lingered for a moment, as if he was carefully considering his next words. His hand stayed where it was, anchoring him to the present. Hux watched him expectantly.

“Are we still allies?”  Kylo asked at last. “If all of this falls, if we fail, will you remain by my side when I have no one else?”

Hux held his gaze. “Are you afraid of something, Ren?”

“I feel it in the Force. Something’s not right. It hasn’t been for some time. I need to know.”

Hux pondered his answer. “ We are still very much allies.”

Kylo had hoped for such an answer but hearing it lifted a weight from his chest. He did not want to ever consider Hux as an enemy. He was far too valuable; and he was far, far too dangerous to have as an enemy.

“Thank you.”  Kylo dropped his hand and turned to walk away.

“Whatever this thing is, what you sense- it's no match compared to us,” Hux promised. He glanced down as he switched the hologram back on, and observed the ship. “This will need a lot of chromium. Are you certain,  Kylo ? It’s a beautiful ship.”

“I’m certain. Melt it down.”

Hux was left alone with the Nubian  starship and there was no doubt in his mind who it had once belonged to. After all, the only other chromium  ship he’d seen outside of Naboo had belonged to the late Emperor and it had been cast into armour for Captain Phasma. This one belonged to the old royal family and he could envision it in Ren’s latest project. The Sith was right, he’d have a mock-up by dinner time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If that second half isn't Kylux in a nutshell, I don't know what is.  
> If you like this story so far, leave a kudos and maybe even a comment!!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a brief one today since it's the end of book 2! I really hope you've enjoyed my story so far, there's much more to come!

** Chapter 17 **

Leia observed the sub-level 3574 warehouse with an unimpressed frown. The walls were thick but covered in  mold and dust. It was a touch nicer than the last place she’d seen.

“Anything else?” She asked as politely as possible. 

Han sighed and held up one finger. “It’s deep down. Very deep. You’ll forget what the sun feels like.”

“There’s no sun down here either, Han. There hasn’t been sunlight for miles now. How far down?”

“Close to the foundations according to Poe. The air’s not exactly toxin-free and there’s creatures down there that have mutated like crazy in all the trash, but we’d be completely alone.”

Leia pulled a face. “No, I do not want to wake up being terrorised by monsters, thank you. Fine, I suppose this will do. We can start to  work our way in through the factories, ally with the workers there and start building a proper Resistance once more. But first, we’ve got to clean this place.”

“I’ll grab the tin can.” 

As Han disappeared into the depths of the warehouse for C3-PO, Luke came to her side. 

“We’ll be alright down here, Leia. They’ll never suspect us to be here, and then what can they do?”

“We have to keep a low profile. You and Rey head out when you get the time, check out the locals- see if we can find some common ground.”

“You got it.”

“We will be alright, won’t we?” 

Luke pulled her against his side and kissed the top of her head. “Of course, we will. Just you see, we’ll take this planet back right from under their feet.”

With the Resistance moving slowly, ship by ship, into the warehouse, Luke felt invigorated by all the potential. There were billions of people above and below them, all waiting to be freed. The Resistance would lead the way. The galaxy would know peace again.

* * *

Sat at the  Dejarik table onboard the Falcon, Rey finished modifying her  lightsaber handles. As she connected her blue blade along with her father’s  saber , she’d never felt closer to the man she couldn’t remember. His  saber would go wherever she  went and she’d use it against Ren someday.

The warm presence at her side, which had been there for hours while she worked, remained even when Poe strode through the hall and stopped short in front of her. He watched her for a moment, expectant and brimming with energy.

“We’ve got a lot in common,” Poe began as he braced his hands on the table’s edge. 

Rey laughed softly. “Yes, we do. We grew up together, we’re best friends, we’re-”

“We both want  Kylo dead. We both want Finn back. We’re both willing to do whatever it takes to get what we want, so why are we still down here moping about the situation ?”

“I’m not moping.” She gestured to her tools and then inclined her head towards him. “Are you?”

Poe’s expression was stern,  carefully checked rage that he kept hidden from the rest of the Resistance. Leia couldn’t know. She’d never let him kill her son. She couldn’t see that  Kylo was beyond all hope, that the only way out was death and not forgiveness.  Kylo needed to die. Finn needed to return to home.

“He’s going to come after you. And those lot out there are going to get themselves killed trying to protect you. So let’s go after him instead.”

“ _ I _ will go after him.  _ You _ stay here and protect the others,” Rey corrected, turning her attention back to her  saber hilts.

Poe’s fist slammed on the table, rattling her tools. “No. No, he did this to Finn. I want to be there. If you want the kill, take it.  Kylo’s all yours but I want to watch it happen. He’s only the beginning. With Kylo gone, the Order won’t have a leader- and then we can take them all out.”

“What we are going to do is-”

Han sprinted down the hall and skidded to a stop, his face red as he panted breathlessly. “Both of you with me. Now!”

Gathered just beneath the awning of the warehouse entrance, the few members of the Resistance stared out into the street. Most of the folks around were outside, looking up at the holo-projectors floating in the air. 

“This isn’t good,” Leia said to herself, taking Han’s hand in her own when he came back. She glanced back at Rey and Poe with a sad expression.

“Citizens of Coruscant,” General Hux began, his voice echoing across every single level of the city-planet. “Somewhere on our beautiful planet, the rotten scum of the Resistance has taken root. They seek to destroy what you have built, to eradicate the work you have so tirelessly bled for. They will lie to you, take your sons and your daughters and force them into a rebellion they cannot hope to win. Your children will die because of their selfish actions.”

Hux held his arms out, looking across the people that had crowded together.

“But fear not. You and your family are not alone. We will help you but in turn you must help us. Any sightings or suspicious activity must be reported to the nearest First Order official. We will protect you and we will not let our world fall into the blood-stained hands of rebel scum. We are here to bring order and peace. Coruscant is the heart of this galaxy. We cannot allow your history to be forgotten. If we all work together, we can dispel this threat to our great planet.”

The General paused, waiting for his words to sink into the minds of a trillion people. He seemed finished with his speech but as if he’d had a change of mind, he carried on like he’d gone off script and was addressing the people from his heart.

“I am aware that mere words may not be enough,” he continued with a softer voice. “That the conditions between those on the surface are not equal to those below, that you may consider this another inconvenience brought on by the highest level which will disturb your daily lives. The First Order is aware of the disbalance installed by the Republic to keep the lower levels powerless and poor.

“The Resistance knows this as well and they will prey on that. They will make you believe that you can rise up beyond your situations and soar above the clouds, but I have seen the results of their riots first-hand. Tens of  thousands dead, and millions left to die when the rebels eventually move on and leave them behind unable to defend themselves. I cannot stand by and watch the same thing happen here.”

He stopped again as if he was taking a moment to mourn the lost souls. Leia wanted nothing more than to broadcast what had happened on Naboo, but she saw the change in the people outside. They were entranced by his speech, hanging onto every word. Leia had to give credit, he was a good speaker and he was  encompassing them with his false sense of compassion.

“The enemy will offer you lies and false promises. I offer you something else. I offer you the chance to live a better life, to feed your families without fear of running out of credits, to send your children to school with clean clothes and new shoes, to take paid days off work to spend time to yourself. I am offering a thousand credits to every single person on Coruscant, in exchange for one thing and one thing only: put your faith in the First Order. But that is not all, anyone with information on the Resistance will receive an additional thousand. And if anyone captures Leia Organa, or any of these people, alive or dead-”

Beside Hux, several faces popped up. Rey found herself instantly. Han squinted to see his reward wasn’t that high compared to the others. He was almost insulted.

“You and your family will come live on the surface and never need to worry about money ever again. You will be heroes of Coruscant. I believe that ought to be more than enough motivation to purge this infestation from our home. And to the Resistance undoubtedly watching this, turn yourselves in. Or don’t. Either way, your time here will be short-lived. You cannot hide from the First Order. I will find you. Enjoy the hunt, people of Coruscant.”

The speech ended and Hux  disappeared , but the faces of the Resistance members remained projected on every single level. All the way from the deepest sub-levels, right up to the surface.

Rey shared a look with Poe. Finn had reported them. Sooner or later, every level would be flooded with stormtroopers. 

“We should’ve gone to  Bespin ,” Han mumbled under his breath as he headed back into the warehouse.

“We can’t leave, they’ll be watching the sky,” Luke stated with a sigh. “We’re stuck down here now. Better make the most of it.”

When everyone had retreated back inside, Rey stayed under the awning with Poe. The crowds had  dissipated but the projectors remained on, constantly broadcasting their identities.

“So, as I was saying-” Rey started again. “We need to take them out from the inside. Looks like we found our way in.”

Poe blinked owlishly. “You know they’ll execute us if given the chance.”

“ I say we split up, I take  Kylo . You take Hux.”

“How am I going to get close to him?”

“You’re smart and charming. You can make yourself the most valuable man alive. What do you think?”

Poe grinned. “I think I like this plan.”

With a smirk, Rey crushed the holo-projector into a ball of twisted metal and sparking wires. It fell with a heavy clunk onto the road. A few people nearby startled. 

* * *

Conserved for its lengthy and rich history, the Jedi Temple remained standing; though no efforts had been made to renovate the empty structure. After the fall of the Empire, any trace of the Emperor’s belongings and plans had been locked in a vault and the temple was stripped clean.  It was a monument now, a reminder of the Jedi’s struggle throughout the war effort and their success in making some of the finest warriors and peacekeepers the galaxy had ever seen. And it was guarded to prevent curious wanderers and potential squatters.

CT-9084 sighed as he checked over his rifle for the dozenth time since his shift had started. It was just as impeccably clean as the other eleven times he’d looked. He glanced to his companion and sighed even harder.

“No,” the other trooper, ZA-3763, firmly stated, his gaze fixed on the sprawling steps before him. They couldn’t simply stand at the bottom. Four times a day they had to climb these stairs.

“I didn’t even say anything!” CT argued, pouting behind his helmet.

“You were thinking it.”

“You’re not a mind-reader.”

“I know you too well,” ZA replied. 

CT did not deny it. He barely waited a second before asking, “Why not?”

“Because we’re out in the open.”

“No one ever comes up here. Who’s going to see? Some grade-A asshole in a speeder?”

“Possibly.”

CT sighed again and considered sitting down. The armour was just too clunky to be comfortable on the stone steps. 

“I’ll trade you for my rations tomorrow,” the trooper bargained, raising his brows as if his companion could see it. Not that ZA would ever fall for such a pitiful look. “I heard from a reliable source we’re getting Bantha jerky. So really, you’ll get two packets if-”

“On second thought, who  _ really _ does come up here?” 

CT pumped his fist and ZA groaned from second-hand embarrassment. 

“Do that again and I’ll retract my answer.”

“You’re no fun.” CT grinned and he knew ZA was smiling too, no matter how grumpy he pretended to be. He reached out to grab his shoulder piece and tug him closer. “Come here, you-”

“Stop. We got incoming.” ZA raised his rifle, all impure thoughts washed away at the sight of the lone man approaching the stairs. “Hey, you! State your business!”

Finn went up to them and waved a hand.

“You  will let me pass,” the  Sith stated as he walked by the troopers without stopping.

They were just lowly scout-troopers, assigned a very dull job. They wouldn’t be trained to resist mind-tricks. The Sith pushed open the heavy door of the Jedi Temple and easily slipped inside. 

ZA and CT exchanged a look.

“Why didn’t you stop him?” CT asked.

“Did you even  _ see _ the  lightsaber on that guy? It’s one of our blaster rifles. I am not messing with him. If you want to question him, go ahead but I will be standing right here not getting involved.” 

CT glanced up at the closed doors of the temple. “Do you think he’s a Jedi?”

“I think you should be getting back to the task at hand.”

CT smirked. “Oh, yeah? Which task was that again?”

ZA huffed a laugh. “You’re insufferable.”

“Yeah, but you love me.” CT took a step closer and bonked the front of his helmet against his companion’s head.

“I do. Now, hurry up and get to work. I don’t want that guy to catch us.”

The dust was the worst part. The air was thick and stale, and particles floated  sluggishly in front of his torchlight. The last rays of sunlight came through what few windows had not been bricked up. 

Just what was Finn supposed to do here? What did Anakin want him to find?

He walked the vaulted halls for hours, unsure of exactly what he had to look for. Perhaps once the rooms had been filled with books and information, but now they were empty and covered in cobwebs and more dust.  Finn found himself heading up one of the towers. He had plenty of time to explore it all.  Kylo was  certainly searching for him by now, and the guilt of being far from him without warning- it ate away at Finn. Still, Anakin had been so convincing that even now, Finn did not doubt his words. He just had to look harder.

He came upon a circular room with several seats low to the  ground and looked out across Coruscant as the sun finished setting on the horizon. He could see the senatorial district and imagined the  Upsilon flying away, never to return for him. As if Finn had not been the one to run away first.

He almost missed it.

Sealed into the wall was a door that had clearly been designed to hide in plain sight. Using the Force to push along the walls as he walked, mostly to find some relief for the frustration building up in him, Finn shoved at the door by accident. It slid back into the gap in the wall, revealing what Finn had been searching for. It was a library, with tall walls lined with paper books and data pads layered with years of dust. The room had probably served as some sort of classroom for the padawans. Desks were spread out evenly, each with their own light for those night-owls desperate to cram in some last lines before bed. There had to be hundreds of books.

Finn stroked the dusty spines with relief. He’d almost walked out of here empty-handed. The thought to take them away briefly crossed his mind but that would require more effort than it was worth. Finn glanced around the room.

He could settle here. For now. Shove a bedroll into the corner and gather some rations from the market on the level below. It wasn’t the most comfortable situation but it would do for the time being. How long could it possibly take to read these? Maybe Finn would have to take some back to  Talok . If  Kylo allowed him to return. Surely an offering like this would nullify their argument.

As Finn considered where to begin his research, he heard the familiar electrical zing of a  lightsaber igniting behind him. Finn pulled his  saber into his hand as he turned, red blade hovering in front of him like a horizontal shield. 

A hunched over black man stood in the doorway of the library. His face was fiercely scarred, twisted and burnt.  His brown and beige robes were loose and brushed the ground, and he relied on a walking stick to keep himself upright, clinging to it with a prosthetic hand.  Finn would’ve mistaken him for  an elderly squatter living in the temple, unbeknownst to the guards outside, i f it had not been for the strange purple  lighsaber in his hand. The violet blade was almost white in its intensity, and it was pointed towards Finn in a way that did not bring him any comfort.

There was something off about the Jedi, beside his age- though he should not have been so aware and mobile in his condition. He sensed the Jedi was not as weak as his posture and tone suggested, otherwise why dare to make his presence known? Finn did not want to fight him but he felt he was given little choice on the matter. 

If he wanted to become  Kylo’s equal, he would need the knowledge of the Jedi Order. Finn was just going the opposite direction with his teachings. He would be ready, regardless. That power Anakin had mentioned would be his. Finn would be able to destroy the Resistance once and for  all and lead the galaxy into an era of peace. And then he could return to  Kylo on  Talok and help all those Force sensitive children.

But first, this ancient Jedi stood between him and galactic peace.

Unknown to the Sith apprentice, his Master, and Rey, their fates were intertwined in a ploy that would pit them against each other. On Exegol, the Dark Side was growing more powerful with each passing day. The ashes of the old world had not stopped smouldering and the sparks would light the flames of an Empire once more.    


-END-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a kudos and a comment if you've liked this story! Trust me when I say the story is far from over, and you won't expect the endings!

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment if you enjoyed it!


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